Organised by Ainslie School, the Down the Garden Path event is in its fourth year, having moved between Ainslie, Braddon and Reid over the years to give visitors a new selection of gardens to admire and explore.

"It's about exposing people to some simple things they could be doing around the house, such as keep chickens or get a healthy worm farm going," said Libby Bailey, one of the event organisers. "It's also a way of promoting sustainability as well as get the kids used to enjoying their own neighbourhood."

As well as chickens and worms, the event showcased beekeeping, which Ms Bailey said was "all the trend now".

"I have a beehive. I've had it for the last three years; it's made a huge difference to our garden, and the honey's spectacular, of course," she said. "It's easy-peasy. And the lovely thing about the beehives, kids start to understand that relationship between nature. You know, if you don't have bees, you don't have pollinated plants, you don't have produce."

Visitors took a self-guided tour of the open gardens, all located near Wakefield Gardens in Ainslie, including one dedicated fairy garden with a story-reading wizard.

Year five teacher and sustainability co-ordinator from Ainslie School, Melissa Biddle, was also on hand to show the visitors how to make worm towers, an alternative to a compost bin.

She said students at Ainslie School learn all about gardening and sustainability as part of their curriculum, and last week they also welcomed seven chickens to the school.

"It's important that we're looking after the environment and that students are getting outdoors and enjoying the outdoors - that's the main thing," she said.

"The students love it because it means they can bring the education outdoors."