Gungahlin Community Council is getting a few complaints about overgrown grass on roadside verges in suburban areas, with some people asking when the government is going to mow it.

But the government doesn't mow the frontages of residences - including those of townhouse blocks. You need to mow it - importantly this includes the verge area around the side if you live on a corner.

If you live in a new estate, the developer may have done the mowing over the last couple of years. But once the development is finished and a "maintenance period" elapses, the public areas go "off maintenance", and "they" will no longer mow it . TAMS will then mow the parks and stuff, but you need to mow your bit of verge.

Many people living in a townhouse and not having a mower may be wondering how to deal with this issue that really hasn't come up much the last few years with very little rain. Some ideas for townhouses residents:

2/ If no-one has a mower, how about pooling some funds to hire a garden contractor every couple of weeks during spring/summer and every 6 weeks over winter?

3/ If no-one else will come to the party, plant it out in front of your place at least. Please avoid making yet more expanses of crushed granite. It's ugly and hot and causes more stormwater run-off. Landscaping your verge is allowable but you need to get approval from the ACT Government, which shouldn't be a problem as long as you are not blocking sightlines or access. Details on their requirements are in this useful leaflet.

Some simple steps for planting out your verge, for townhouse dwellers and renters with little gardening experience:

1/ Scalp it with a mower back to the dirt (hire one just this once).
2/ Wait a week then spray it out with glyphosate (Roundup). Wait 2 weeks and spray it out again.
3/ Wait another 2 weeks then visit Magnet Mart for the following items.
4/ Scatter gypsum around (it helps break up the clay so water and roots can penetrate. Dig it up a bit - great exercise.
5/ Bash in some timber or plastic garden edge strips across the verge at your boundaries to keep the neighbours' untended grass out. Magnet Mart will lend you a trailer to carry the timber edging home.  Get some "coarse forest litter" mulch from Corkhill Brothers for the princely sum of $23 per cubic metre (a 7x4 high-sided trailer will take a full metre load in one trip) and spread it around. All you need for this is a cheap rake. Make it deep so weeds won't grow through it. Maybe drop some large-format concrete pavers in to cross the verge?
6/ Put some low ground covering native plants in. If you've bought a brand new place, the ACT Government gives you $250 worth via the Yarralumla Nursery. Otherwise, Magnet Mart have a great range of low-water natives. Landscapers' tip is to cluster several of the same species together. Some species to consider: Dianella revoluta or tasmanica; Lomandra tanika or longifolia, or further away from the street hystrix; Grevillea bronze rambler or gaudi chaudi; Grevillea Mt Tamboritha; Myoporum parvifolium. Further back from the street and away from corners, a couple of low-growing shrubs like Leptospermum; Callistemon; Acacia; Banksia. Remember plants grow larger, so don't plant anything within a metre of the footpath or kerb. Keep the mulch back from the stems of the plants.
7/ Water occasionally. Enjoy no longer worrying about mowing.