Be part of growing our Urban Forest. Council is giving away FREE advanced native trees for you to plant in your garden.
Redeemable 5 April 2021 - 30 September 2021, City of Burnside residents, schools and community groups are eligible for one or more trees up to the value of $75 (GST inclusive per voucher) to encourage the planting of native trees on private land.
How to redeem
To get your FREE native tree, visit the Customer Service Desk at the Civic Centre or email us ([email protected]) with your name, the address of the property and mailing address (if different from the property address). A voucher/s will be posted to you via Australia Post. Take your unique voucher to one of the participating nurseries between 5 April 2021 - 30 September 2021 to get your native tree.
Tree stories
Hannah Keage and her family (pictured) moved in to their Hazelwood Park home in March 2020. "We had an empty spot at the bottom of the garden, so we got a voucher and went to Belair Nursery," Hannah says. She collected a Banksia (Banksia praemorsa) and planted it. "I chose it because it is pretty and not too big," Hannah says.
The most popular species are Corymbia ficifolia 'grafted' (Red flowering gum), Banksia praemorsa (Cut-leaf Banksia) and a tie between multiple species including Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood), Backhousia citriodora (Lemon Myrtle) and Cupaniopsis anacardioides (Tuckeroo).
Tree planting tips
The long-term success of your new tree is greatly impacted by the care taken during the planting process. Here are some tips to help establish your new tree, and provide you with a positive return on your time and investment.
- Ensure you have located all underground utilities before planting.
- Prepare the site for planting by digging a hole wide and shallow, two to three times wider than the root ball, and no deeper than the root ball. The hole should be in the shape of a wok to give new roots room to grow.
- Place the tree gently into the hole ensuring it is straight and the top of the root ball is level or slightly higher than the surrounding soil levels.
- Gently back fill the hole with the existing soil, breaking up clumps and adding organic matter (well-rotted compost) if required. Backfill the hole until it is level with the top of the root ball.
- Finally water your new tree and enjoy it for years to come!
