A planting revolution is happening in Manningham and it’s starting in the Council’s nursery, located at the depot in Doncaster East.

“We have been growing and expanding our nursery over the last 18 months to make it the prime source for the trees, shrubs, grasses and other plants that populate the parks, bushland areas, landscaping and environment planting projects in Manningham,” said a Council spokesman.

“Last year we planted 16,000 indigenous and non-indigenous shrubs and grasses in our landscaped parks and reserves with the majority coming from our nursery.

“Our aim is that all indigenous stock and 80% of all trees and plants that are planted within our municipality are supplied by our very own nursery.

“The ability to grow our own trees and plants makes it possible to increase our planting throughout the municipality with far less expense to Council.

“Previously we bought many of our plants and cuttings at wholesale nurseries but expanding the nursery to grow trees and plants ourselves is a much cheaper and more renewable option.

“Eventually the nursery will have the capacity to grow 1800 advanced trees that can then be planted and the process begun again.

“In addition to the trees, our bushland and environment planting projects are all grown from seed and cuttings collected in the Manningham area, and grown at the nursery until they are ready to plant.

“Additionally, the ability to grow more indigenous trees means we can encourage our native fauna and contribute more trees to our urban forest.

“We are committed to live up to our green promise and increase our canopy coverage and to better protect and strengthen our natural assets – all in line with the Living Melbourne: our metropolitan urban forest strategy Council endorsed last year,” the Manningham Council spokesman said.