From: Indigenous landscaping and biophilic urbanism: case studies in Noongar Six Seasons
 | Indigenous Gardens | Local Native Garden |
---|---|---|
Purpose | •Cultural expression; •Profound connection with land, fauna and flora, abiotic elements of landscape; •Stewardship of indigenous culture and environmental and spiritual knowledge; •Places for gatherings, cultural and spiritual events, and healing; •Providing educational space for students, children and adults; •Providing space for memorials and acknowledgments and recognitions; | •Promoting native flora to expand use in private gardens; •Natural environment conservation efforts; •Educating about native plants, planning, display arrangements to encourage the transformation of landscaping and gardening practices; •Regeneration of urban wasteland; •Providing a recreational and educational green space in the urbanised environment; •Providing educational space for students – engaging in maintenance, creating a bush-tucker garden; •Providing space for memorials and acknowledgments and recognitions; |
Design | •Designs are based on Aboriginal Dreaming and Aboriginal Six Seasons. They often include a motif of a journey; •Fauna, flora, and abiotic elements of landscape (rocks, soil, land formations, water) are all significant parts of a garden; •Inclusion of cultural artefacts (sculptures, paintings, weapons); •Symbolic representations of local indigenous history, culture, values and beliefs; •The biological changes occurring in plants and animals during Noongar Six Seasons inform the garden visitors about important events and milestones; | •Planting arrangements are experimental; •Designs are based on Western classical garden display techniques and practices ( elements such as garden beds, layered planning arrangements, winding footpaths, pergolas, benches, picturesque views); •Less emphasis on abiotic landscape elements; •Strong emphasis on creating a waterwise garden; |
Flora, fauna and abiotic elements | •Plants and animals and abiotic landscape elements bear cultural and spiritual significance in an indigenous garden; •Use of plants and planting arrangements are based on Indigenous environmental, cultural and spiritual knowledge; •The plant species are chosen for their medical and nourishing qualities, practical use, cultural and spiritual meaning and values; | •Plants are selected for their aesthetics and ecological qualities; •Plants arrangements to create a waterwise garden that is easy to maintain; |