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Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

“Bringing our communities into Equilibrium” – a collaborative approach to water management.

Find the Equilibrium display at site A58/59 between Wednesday 28th March – Sunday 1st April, 2012.

Equilibrium – An educational display

The Victorian Government and the water industry have collaborated with renowned sustainable landscape designer, Phillip Johnson Landscapes, to inspire you to think about a collective approach to outdoor water management in your community.

Equilibrium contrasts two gardens of equal size, one being a conventional Australian backyard that is covered in concrete, uses exotic plants, and has water sources leading to stormwater drains.

The other is a sustainable landscape that takes the idea of water collection and conservation one step further. The aim is to create water and habitat corridors so no garden needs to be reliant on drinking water. The water corridor in our sustainable garden connects with the permanent lake at the Carlton Gardens.

The increased stormwater runoff associated with urban development degrades our streams, rivers and bays. Capturing and using this water at a local level will improve the ecology of our urban waterways.

Equilibrium contributes to the State Government’s objectives for Living Victoria by demonstrating how integrated urban water management can support liveable communities through improved management of stormwater and wastewater.

Award winning

The Equilibrium display has received a number of accolades at Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show including:

Gold - Show Garden category
Silver - Outdoor Feature
The Ford Sustainability Award

Representatives from the Victorian Water Industry will speak from the Equilibrium exhibit on topics including Integrated Water Management, Urban Water Cycle, Raingardens, Bottled Water and Healthy Urban Habitats.

What can you do at home?

There are a number ways you can help capture water in your backyard:

Install permeable surfaces around the house to replace concrete, decking or gravel. Water can seep into the lawn and garden, improving soil moisture, rather than run into a drain.
Build a Raingarden to help filter stormwater before it enters our waterways.
Install a rainwater tank to capture water for the garden, washing machine and toilet flushing. You may also be able to divert tank overflow if your garden needs a little extra water.
Create a billabong or natural pool to store and reuse water run off in your backyard.

For more information on Raingardens please visit Melbourne Water's page on raingardens.