2021 Spring … After an initial community meeting attracting over 25 residents, a planning committee was set up to investigate possibilities and projected costs of setting up a community garden in the easement at the western side of the complex. As well as herb and vegetable gardens, a number of other ideas were suggested including a fruit grove, bike track, dog park and children’s natural playground.
2021/2 Summer … The committee members visited other community gardens in the area and began designing and pricing different options. A comprehensive Management Plan was created which addressed how the project would be implemented and maintained.
2022 Autumn … The project was broken into three seperate stages to be implemented over a number of years allowing for build up of interest with residents, and spreading of costs. Scale drawings were created.
2022 Winter … The committee created a visual slideshow and presented this, together with documentation and plans, as well as in depth costings, to the Body Corporate Committee. The garden concept was approved in principal. This was then presented to all interested owners and residents at the Annual General Meeting, and overwhelmingly approved. Work began preparing the site, firstly by scraping the soil, then covering the area with geo-mesh.
2022 Spring … Over a few working bees, eight new garden beds were assembled and set in place in the easement. Some mulch was spread over the geo-mesh. Two ‘bean teepees’ were assembled, and the first crop of climbing beans was planted, which may also be used in the future as a natural cubby house for children. Volunteers were sent home with seeds to propagate and by November the garden beds were planted out with a mixture of vegetables and herbs.
2022 Summer… The Community Garden successfully produced beans, tomatoes, corn, carrots, silverbeet, radishes, chillies, beetroot, and rocket. Trees were planted including a bay laurel, blueberries, nectarines and a few banana palms. We successfully propagated dragon fruit. Small mounds were created to allow pumpkin, watermelon and rockmelon vines to spread freely. Rows of sunflowers and cosmos were established, as well as smaller beds including lettuce, calendula, parsley, Chinese chives, borage, coriander, sage, and basil. Seeds for the Autumn planting were purchased, and preparation for the new plantings began. Some of the volunteers starting bringing their children down to help, creating a fun atmosphere.
2023 Autumn… We were excited to see the first flower on our eggplants, which led to quite a few delicious eggplants. We also learnt (the hard way) how to tell when the corn is ready to harvest. A nice exchange with the neighbours led to us swapping some tomatoes for a small Moringa tree, which we will plant once we have found the right spot for it. The magpies sometimes follow us around as we garden, maybe hoping we have stirred up some insects for them, and a blue tongue lizard has started calling the community garden home. The Scout Group in Rochedale have an annual fundraiser selling gardening supplies and we used some of our “recycle cans money” to buy some blood and bone and citrus food. Some local cafes gave us their used coffee grounds to use for fertiliser, and residents have begun dropping cleaned eggshells down. These can deter slugs, and the calcium in the eggshells adds nutrients to the soil. We took delivery of some decomposed granite and began building a pathway through the garden. The rockmelon vine produced its first melon, and we were like expectant parents watching it grow. Peter started taking some of the produce out to residents and many have enjoyed a taste of the garden’s bounty.
2023 Winter… Our garden sessions were brought forward to 4pm as the light began to change. Peter continued to deliver herbs, lettuce, chillies, spinach, eggplants, beans and much more garden produce to residents. The coriander is always the first to be taken, so we have planted a lot more of it for the future. The pathway was completed and the whole community garden site looks fantastic. Some more outdoor chairs were donated by a resident and we have set up our “clubhouse” where we sit and have a drink and something to eat after a Sunday shift at the garden. The compost bays are coming along nicely, with kitchen and garden waste being turned into nutritious compost. We received a delivery of mulch and soil allowing us to top up the garden beds, and finally filled the last three long Birdies beds, giving us eight now. The new beds were planted with broccoli, parsnips, turnips, leeks and bok choy, and teamed up with some flowers to encourage the bees. A long timber garden bed has been built, and now has passionfruit, herbs and flowers growing in it.