Biodivercity Lab

31/07/2026

What happens when forgotten corners of the city become places for biodiversity? 🌿

This Wednesday, Mel Yuan from Brunswick Communities for Nature ( Brunswick Communities for Nature ) will join our new APS group for “Guerrilla Gardening: Planting Sedition in the Streets of Brunswick” a conversation about community-led action, reclaiming neglected urban spaces, and making the city a little wilder.

After the talk, we’ll hold the Inaugural General Meeting of the new APS Naarm / Inner Melbourne Group, officially establishing the group and electing its first committee.

There’ll also be a plant table, a raffle, and affordable plants for sale. Bring cash if you’d like to join in 🌱

Everyone is welcome. Feel free to message me/us with any questions 💚

07/07/2026

A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to celebrate the completion of the Young Entrepreneurs Program by King’s Trust Australia, alongside entrepreneurs from across Australia with some of the most diverse backgrounds and ideas you could imagine.

As part of the graduation, we pitched our businesses to a panel of judges, mentors and guests. It was such a rewarding moment to reflect on everything we had built, learned and shared throughout the program.

Beyond the practical tools and business knowledge, the biggest takeaway for me was the community. Building a business takes a whole ecosystem of people who believe in your work, challenge your ideas, and encourage you to keep moving forward 💚

As someone who works with ecology, I should probably know this already: nothing thrives in isolation. And yet, it’s so easy to believe we have to build everything on our own.

I left the program with new ideas for Biodivercity Lab, more confidence, new connections, and even a small grant that will help me continue growing the practice.

A huge thank you to The King's Trust Australia , the mentors, facilitators, and everyone in the cohort. I’m excited to bring everything I’ve learned into the next chapter of Biodivercity Lab. 🌿💚

01/07/2026

A small balcony or courtyard can completely change how everyday life feels 🌿

Even in dense inner Melbourne suburbs, tiny outdoor spaces can become places to slow down, notice seasonal change, and feel more connected to nature in daily life.

That’s the idea behind the Microhabitat Program through Biodivercity Lab.

It’s a small garden design and installation service for balconies and compact urban spaces up to 15m², tailored to your lifestyle, microclimate and maintenance needs.

I'm currently taking on new Microhabitat projects across Melbourne's inner suburbs.
More info here: https://biodivercitylab.com.au/the-microhabitat-program/

Feel free to reach out if you’re curious 🌱

27/06/2026

Did you know that the Australian Plants Society Victoria now has a new Melbourne City group? 🌱

I’ve been helping out a little behind the scenes with this new group and also designed the flyer for our second meeting!

This Wednesday we’re hosting “The Original Flora of Melbourne” with Chris Clarke, President of APSKeilorPlains , an introduction to Melbourne’s vegetation communities, prior to European settlement and present, and how we can bring more indigenous plants into our gardens for biodiversity and pollinators.

If you’re curious about local plants, ecology, or just want to learn more about the landscapes around us, you’re very welcome to join 💚

Feel free to message me if you have any questions, and please feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested :) Hope to see you there!

22/06/2026

I’m really excited to be part of the next Gay Stuff Market, alongside other LGBTQIA+ makers and creators 🌈🧚🏽

I’ll be bringing a selection of native and local plants in reclaimed pots, along with some others ready for your own pots at home. All of them are suitable for long-term growth in pots and ideal for small spaces like balconies and courtyards.

I’ll also be sharing a bit of what Biodivercity Lab is about: creating biodiverse, life-friendly spaces in everyday urban environments and caring for them.

Winter can feel slow and quiet, but spring is just around the corner! Come pick up a new plant friend or have a chat about plants, balconies, courtyards and ways to bring more urban nature into your daily life 💚

🗓️ 4 July
⏰ 12-4pm
📍 Vic Pride Centre, St Kilda

14/06/2026

01/06/2026

Before I knew I was q***r, I was already questioning the categories I was given.

Over time, that habit found its way into my practice too.

Q***r ecology invites us to question what we call “natural”, who gets to define it, and what gets excluded in the process. This Pride Month, let’s hold space for uncertainty, allowing room for biodiversity and ourselves to be naturally q***r.

Happy Pride! 🌈🦋

28/05/2026

I was running errands on a busy day around my neighbourhood when an Acacia iteaphylla covered in bright yellow flowers caught my eye.

I decided to stop and get closer. The scent was incredible. Sweet, soft, almost impossible to ignore. I wish I could share that on social media.

Standing there for a moment, I started noticing not only the construction and city noise, but also the birds and the sound of the wind moving through the leaves of both the acacia and the nearby eucalyptus.

It was growing next to a construction site, surrounded by trash, compacted soil and overgrown agapanthus.

It made me think about how urban life often pushes us to close the window of our senses a little bit just to get through the day. And about those things that catch your attention and bring some of that awareness back again 🌿

She is:

Acacia iteaphylla
Willow-leaved Wattle
Native to South Australia
Hardy species with blue-green foliage and sweetly perfumed flowers