Legendary gardener is calling on everyone to plant 15 trees
By Jennifer McMillan 27 April 2022
What would the world look like if everyone planted 15 trees a year?
Clive and Penny Blazey founded The Diggers Club in 1978, a non-profit organisation promoting sustainable gardening. It is now Australia’s largest gardening club helping Australians grow food and plant the right trees.
Blazey recently released a book titled ‘We Speak for the Trees,’ a gardener’s guide to achievable solutions for the global climate change crisis.
“If we all plant 160 trees over 10 years – about 12 to 16 a year – we can solve the problem of climate change,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
In All The Dirt podcast, Blazey says the book is about getting people energised about doing something for the climate by connecting with nature.
The book details more than 100 trees suitable for growing in Australia with tips on where to grow them and how. It includes a guide to suitable trees for small gardens, trees to cool cities, provide habitat for birds and lock up atmospheric carbon. Blazey lists 13 native trees that are suitable for a warming climate and can survive months without rain:
Black Booyong
Bunya Pine
Australian Red Cedar
Native frangipani
Weeping lily pilly
Australian teak tree
Learn more about finding the right plants for your area.
Looking for ways to connect with nature?
Visit treeday.planetark.org to host a planting in your community or find a site near you to volunteer.
Schools Tree Day: Friday 29th July National Tree Day: Sunday 31st July
Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.
Jen worked as a vet nurse while studying environmental science and completing her master's degree in Journalism. She loves bushwalking, storytelling, caring for baby animals, Australian birds and river red gums. Jen works on the National Tree Day campaign and Planet Ark's Seedling Bank.
