community | james st

By MEREDITH KIRTON

Garden Life’s Richard Unsworth has been working alongside other volunteers at the James St Reserve Community Garden to turn what was once a place where drug addicts shot up into a veggie patch where grandma’s share knowledge and stories with grand kids as they walk to school.

Unsworth, whose Garden Design shop Garden Life overlook this garden out the back of the shop, says he was cynical at first that planting a garden could transform the back alley as radically as it has, but now says it has gone from a place you’d be frightened to walk at night into a garden that nurtures not only the plants, but also the souls of those who go there.  He has been involved from the start of the garden, and his great sense of design style is evident…including in the fabulous new shed that has just been built and is awaiting its tool fit out.

The garden, got off the ground and opened by Clover Moore some 2 years ago.  It doesn’t work with an allotment system, where each member has a plot, but rather, it has larger beds (in rainwater tanks) allocated to working groups, and they decide and care for what’s in each patch.  Smaller concrete tubs are planted out as “free for all” pots for non-members to enjoy, while the members share their combined harvests with each other.

Their vision “to create a living garden (an ever evolving and experimental space that embraces change) that makes the James Street Reserve an attractive and safe space that welcomes everyone, encourages community spirit, facilitates learning and information exchange and acts as a sustainability role model”, has certainly come true.  They have members aged from 5 to 80, including singles, different ethnic groups and even an Aboriginal man who silently sweeps the paths some mornings.  The compost also provides a sustainable approach to disposal of household food scraps for neighbouring properties and cafes.

What has been truly remarkable here however is how the homeless and faceless people from the back alleys have now become almost custodians of this space too, and that stories can finally be exchanged.  Perhaps this garden will do just as much healing minds as it does feeding families.

Photography by MEREDITH KIRTON / SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

community | junior gardeners

By MEREDITH KIRTON

The Yates Junior Landcare Watermelon Challenge has wrapped up with two massive 20kg watermelons winning both the individual and group categories. Six-year-old Wyatt Kahler from Basin View, NSW, won the individual category with his giant watermelon weighing 20kg with a circumference of 83cm. The group winner was Cooran State School in Queensland, where the students also managed to grow a 20kg watermelon with a 77cm circumference. Wyatt’s grandmother, Trish Kahler, loved seeing her grandson get involved in the challenge.

“We’ve grown a few really big ones and we have more on the way! I think it is really great how kids can get out into the garden and learn about where their food is actually coming from,” she said. The challenge, launched last year by Junior Masterchef winner Isabella Bliss and her sister, Sofia, attracted over 40,000 participants from across the country. Regardless of whether they had grown a winning watermelon or something smaller, the kids were just excited to get their hands dirty and learn how to grow their own food. “I finally got a melon for the competition. Our season was very poor due to a cool to mild summer and very dry for two months. We finally got rain and more sunshine and bingo things started to grow in the far south east,” said Henry, a competitor from Bega, NSW. In addition to showing off their gardening abilities, competitors got creative by dressing up their watermelons and uploading photos of the results as part of the competition. Claire and Simon Jung from Lyneham, ACT, won this category with a photo of their watermelon looking very cosy in their garden bed dressed up with a beanie and scarf.

Just a heads up that Grow Harvest Cook will soon be running a kids gardening and cooking competition with some great give-aways! Make sure you read our newsletter so you don’t miss out!

community | Allsun

By MEREDITH KIRTON

Joyce Wilkie and Michael Plane, both “retired” academics have turned a bush block into a productive farm and are happy to share their keen insights.  If you’re up for the drive, the outing is worth the trouble.

The Allsun Farm between Gundaroo and Canberra is having specialist talks and tours all weekend on the 29^th-30 October 2011.  Entry fee is $10 and there will be everything from tools to chooks, tractors and books, and of course, tasty produce that biodynamic and organically grown.  For details check out the Australian Open Garden Schemes 2011/2012 Catalogue or website.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

community | floriade

By MEREDITH KIRTON

First three photos by IdPhoto.com.au. Following photos by Meredith Kirton:

(Above) The Australian War Memorial will be at floriade with the Victory garden to share the history of wartime kitchens and gardens and the scheme that encouraged so many Australians to grow their own during the war, this helping not only their diets but also the war effort.

(Above) Citrus sculptures from Griffith

Floriade’s theme this year is Feast of the Senses and there are a few gardens worth visiting.  The Victory Garden, which is the scene for talks by various garden notorieties such as Graham Ross and Jackie French, plays homage to the 75^th Anniversary of WWII and the efforts made by ordinary Australian’s to feed themselves and thus help the war effort.  Talks by War Memorial Staff will also enlighten audiences.  See www.floraide.com.au for daily schedules.

Of course, our very own Meredith Kirton will also be at the Lindeman’s Open Garden with Dominique Rizzo, talking about growing your own kitchen garden produce and turning fresh vegetables and herbs into simple, delicious meals.  It would be great if some of you bloggers could make yourself known if you’re there… Meredith will have a special giveaway for those of you who brave it!

Photography by MEREDITH KIRTON | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

community | Norton Plaza

By MEREDITH KIRTON

The rooftop of one one Sydney’s busiest shops, Norton Plaza in Leichhardt, has developed a kitchen garden on top of it’s retail centre and opened it up to the community.

This area, known for it’s Italian heritage, will be perfect for growing a wide range of Mediterranean herbs and potted trees such as olives.  The inside of the centre has even planted mini winter gardens throughout the plaza to demonstrate potted edibles and advertise the scheme.
At present they are looking for a garden guardian to help coordinate the scheme.

For more details go to http://www.nortonplaza.com.au/content.aspx?urlkey=CommunityKitchenGarden

or visit http://www.gpt.com.au/contentimages/microsites/sakgf/magic.aspx#.T1G1qf0_vvA.email

Photography by MEREDITH KIRTON |Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

community | Tree Day

By MEREDITH KIRTON

National Tree Day will be held on Sunday 31st July 2011, with Schools Tree Day taking place on the Friday 29th July 2011. Last year over 312 000 people at 3 500 sites dug deep to improve their natural surroundings. Tree Day shows children how easy and fun it is to help our environment.
In March 2011, Planet Ark commissioned an independent study,* sponsored by Toyota Australia, to investigate childhood interaction with nature and how this interaction is changing.
The research shows that there has been a dramatic shift in childhood activity from outdoor play to indoor activity in the space of one generation.

73% of respondents played outdoors more often than indoors when they were young, compared to only 13% of their children and 72% of respondents played outside every day as kids compared to only 35% of their children. Even more scary was that 1 in 10 children today play outside once a week or less.

64% of respondents said they climbed trees as kids but less than 20% of their children participate in this activity.  If you’d like to plant a fruit tree in your yard that’s also suitable for climbing, consider a pecan, mango or avocado for larger gardens, or macadamia, persimmon and olives for smaller backyards.  Happy days!

The report, Climbing Trees: Getting AussieKids Back Outside is available at http://treeday.planetark.org/about/health-benefits.cfm

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community | Balmain High

By MEREDITH KIRTON

Recently Mark Morrison, owner of online plant supplier, Morrison’s Garden Centre, which sells plants and products and delivers to the Sydney Metropolitan Area, has been working not in cyber space but in reality, doing great work with disabled children from Sydney’s Inner West.

Like many people, Mark has become interested in home grown produce and now sells and installs corrugated tank veggie gardens. (pic attached of example).  He was also instrumental in developing a veggie garden at Balmain High and provide ongoing support there for the staff of the Support Unit for disabled children.  A few images of the delight these kids are feeling from their interaction with their crops are attached.

Mark Morrison is a member of the  Australian Institute of Horticulture and is a Certified Nursery Practitioner.

His contact details are:

Morrison’s Garden Centre
Phone: 0409 201 063
Email: info@morrisonsgardencentre.com.au
Web: www.morrisonsgardencentre.com.au

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