• Cucumber plot in the footpath garden, Myrtle Street, Chippendale
Key point:
“All of this has been possible because of Sydney City Council’s gardening policy, which allows residents to garden on the footpath without going through a long approval process. It’s a practical policy that gives people, like us, the freedom to improve their streets and use small public spaces for growing sustainable food and plants.“
My name is Will Brandt, and I am a third-year student at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. I was born in Princeton, New Jersey and now live in Ridgewood, New Jersey.
My name is Michael Miniotas, and I’m a third-year student at Rollins College in Florida. I was born in London, Ontario, Canada, but grew up in Jacksonville, Florida.
We are interns with Sustainable House, and for the past three months we’ve been looking after a small footpath garden in Chippendale that we created upon our arrival to Sydney. Today we added stakes to support the cucumber plants we planted. The stakes will help the vines stay upright so they can grow properly, flower, and eventually produce fruit without breaking from the weight.
This garden has become part of our weekly routine including watering, adding compost from nearby Coolseats, and checking on the plants as they develop. Seeing the cucumbers grow to the point where they need support shows great progress, and we believe the cucumbers will be ready to harvest in a few weeks.
All of this has been possible because of Sydney City Council’s gardening policy, which allows residents to garden on the footpath without going through a long approval process. It’s a practical policy that gives people, like us, the freedom to improve their streets and use small public spaces for growing sustainable food and plants.
• The one page Sydney City Council Footpath Garden Policy
Over time, we’ve noticed more people across the neighbourhood doing the same.
Footpath gardens have made the streets greener, cooler, and more welcoming. People often stop to ask what we’re planting or share their own gardening tips, which has helped build a sense of community within Chippendale.
Adding the stakes today was a simple task, but it shows how far the garden has come and how these small efforts can make a visible difference in the area with the support of local city councils.
Will Brandt, Michael Mineotas, interns with Sustainable House