That seems to be the mantra of a growing number of Orange gardeners keen to do their bit to beautify the city.

Small gardens along the footpath are starting to pop up throughout Orange prompting Orange City Council to get busy on a package of guidelines for verge gardens.

The verge is the strip of land between a property's mailbox and the gutter which is owned by council and therefore subject to its supervision.

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Resident and gardening enthusiast Erica Eccleston, who administrates a Facebook gardening page with 2500 members, said the arrival of spring was one of the reasons residents were getting busy.

"I feel like it's been a very long winter, and now the weather's starting to warm up and everything's growing people are keen to get out," she said.

"In town you've got limited space so people are going out onto the verge."

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Mrs Eccleston said it was also a way for people to get to know their neighbours.

Following a recommendation by former Councillor Jo McRae, Council added $15,000 to this year's budget to develop guidelines for verge gardening and is now in the final stages of developing those guidelines.

It hopes to release its package in the coming months.

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"The new system is aiming to support residents who want to beautify the street frontage of their property by sorting through and preventing some potential problems that might occur with a new garden on the verge," Orange City Council's corporate and community relations manager Nick Redmond said.

"We're looking to come up with a system that will let that strip of land (between mailbox and gutter) continue be a safe footpath without creating anything that could be an obstacle."

Mr Redmond said it's expected the new system will have some rules around the width of a garden so that pedestrians can have easy and safe access along the footpath and also safely get out of a car parked next to the gutter.

"Because a garden on the verge is part of the streetscape, we're also encouraging householders to discuss plans with their neighbours. There'll be a set of frequently asked questions that aim to spell out what can be built," he said.

Mr Redmond acknowledged some residents had already built verge gardens and council would try to accommodate them when the system was released.

"If someone is thinking about starting a new verge garden, it would be best if they waited until the new guidelines are released. That way they could save time and money," he said, adding council was look ing at the options of vouchers for free plants and help improving the level of the proposed garden.

Mrs Eccleston said picking appropriate plans was also important.

"If you were doing a verge garden I would remind you this is a public space," she said.

"Don't be too precious about what you plant there - don't put a family heirloom plant there!"

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