Oxfam Australia, a charity partner at Floriade, will promote its Grow campaign through interactive and unusual methods. Twenty volunteers at the Sydney Oxfam office used discarded rubbish to create ornamental fruit and vegetables to illustrate day to day wastage.

Gum nuts fashioned into peas, soft drink bottles into apples and pears and old shoulder pads made into cabbages will carry the message. Oxfam campaign co-ordinator Debbie Hunt hopes that by involving the public in planting the artificial produce, people will be encouraged to start growing at home.

''We're going to be asking people to help us grow a better future by literally helping us grow a garden,'' Ms Hunt said. ''It's educational and hopefully inspirational for people, and good fun as well.''

Children's workshops will make scarecrows from recycled materials and create ''seed bombs'', a blend of seeds, clay and fertiliser, which will teach them to grow food.

Ms Hunt said there would be herb plants available for a gold coin donation. ''It's more about raising awareness, but we are raising some money as well.''

Oxfam's Grow initiative will complement the theme of this year's Floriade, Beautiful Innovation, which starts with a focus on smart living.

A permaculture garden by Urban Agriculture volunteers will display different methods of backyard food production.

Alliance spokesman Martyn Noakes said, ''It's all about growing nutrient rich, healthy food.''

The display will show sustainable and environmentally friendly practices and methods. One of the long-term benefits Mr Noakes hopes will come from permaculture is the ability to build community.