While some councils, such as the City of Sydney and Marrickville, actively support their local green thumbs, others still threaten to fine residents for tilling the nature strip.

Granger has thrown his name behind a national campaign to encourage the planting of community gardens on under-utilised council land.

''Residents should be able to use the land rather than just mowing the grass every few weeks,'' he said. ''It's about getting in touch with real food, working together as part of a community and making food social.''

The Cook community garden in Redfern was established 17 years ago for the use of the nearby public housing residents. It has helped bring hundreds of people from different backgrounds together. ''It's the United Nations of community gardens,'' Granger said.

The City of Sydney has 19 community gardens and three verge gardens which grow on nature strips. Mayor Clover Moore said the council had responded to strong demand.

''It just brings out the best in people,'' she said. ''People can see food growing. Gardeners can share their produce. [Otherwise] … people living in high-density areas, they don't have a sense of where food comes from.''

Russ Grayson, spokesman for the Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network, said some councils were deterred from approving community gardens because of concern for public safety or creating an administrative burden.

Rachel Browne