Under the Choko Tree By Nevin Sweeney

Choko Tree Friends - Floriade, Canberra

To repeat its own blurb, Floriade "is Australia’s biggest celebration of spring. This iconic Canberra event, which is now in its 26th year, runs for 30 days over the months of September and October. It showcases one million flowers in bloom throughout Canberra’s Commonwealth Park and entry is free.”

I am not a fan of flowers as such, my Permaculture teacher would refer to them as “fluff” and I tend to agree. Having said that a group called Urban Agriculture Australia, in association with Permaculture Canberra and other groups, put on an urban sustainability display that DID interest me. So Linda and I spent a couple of days in Canberra, catching up with friends and seeing the sites as well as dropping into Floriade to see the sustainability display. It was very well done and well worth a look!

This is some of what we saw -

A vertical veggie garden made out of wood and recycled plastic milk bottles

An (apparently commercial) aquaponics set up

Straw bale veggie gardens

More Straw Bale veggie beds

wicking bed

The end of a demonstration wicking bed with veiwing window

Mini greenhoue

Inside the mock-up solar house showing sun angles

More on Sun Angles

Humungous Chook Tractor

Wicking Bed and Friend

Bath heated by rocket stove

Container Gardens

Raised Beds

Outside of the mock up house showing Double glazed Window and solar panel

This is not a permanent display and had to be set up, left for the run of the show, then dismantled and taken away at the end and it was excellent. I can't wait to see what they come up with next year!

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