3 minute read
THORNTON COMMUNITY GETS GROWING
OUR
COMMUNITY GARDEN
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Three years ago, a group of residents of Thornton had an idea. Establishing a community garden would give locals – many of whom live in apartments – the opportunity to grow their own food. A shared project would also help to build a sense of community in this relatively new suburb and give neighbours a chance to get to know one another. Taking home a bucket of fresh vegetables is fantastic, but the social connections of a community garden are just as beneficial.
The site they had in mind, which they negotiated to lease from Landcom, had all the features they were looking for – it was fenced and got
plenty of sunshine. There was no water available, so the group paid for a water connection to be installed. They found many people were willing to help this community-focused start up: Council has awarded several grants and supplies woodchip when it’s needed. A local hardware store gave a discount on an irrigation system, and a mushroom producer from Londonderry donated several loads of mushroom compost, which helped to establish the beds. There is a shed full of tools now, nearly all of which have been donated, many by local residents who were downsizing. Six months after the group set out to make Thornton Community Garden a reality, they opened its gates.
THORNTON GETS GARDENING ONE COMMUNITY’S GREEN THUMB
Today there are close to 40 members, 25 of whom come on a weekly basis. None of the beds belong to one person – members share in the work and share in the produce. That said, members often do gravitate towards one aspect of the garden – some particularly like worm farming, or have a special interest in composting, or enjoy harvesting the vegetables when they’re ready to be eaten. The majority of members didn’t have much gardening experience to begin with, and it has been a steep learning curve. There have been a few curveballs – cabbage moths have taken a shine to the broccoli, snakes sometimes lurk in the compost, and pumpkins get gnawed on by bush rats – but on the whole, they’ve had amazing success growing very diverse crops. The garden is a combination of long beds on the ground, where the soil has been turned with organic matter; and some raised beds, which provide easier access for people with disabilities or who are less mobile. The raised beds are mainly herbs, including basil, thyme and rosemary; while pumpkins, zucchini, broccoli, garlic and carrots are just some of the crops in the longer beds. There is also a tea garden, full of things you can make
hot drinks out of, such as pineapple sage, lemongrass and mint. A climbing grape vine shades the pergola, under which members sit for a cuppa and a chat.
Friendships have been struck up between people that wouldn’t have otherwise met, despite living alongside each other. Some members have taken the opportunity to improve their English, and everyone has picked up new skills. It’s not uncommon for visitors to wander in off the street, slightly astonished to see a productive garden flourishing between the railway line and a multi-storey apartment complex. As the garden has matured, more local supporters have come out of the woodwork. The building manager of the apartments across the street donates green waste for composting. One local, who owns a rabbit, brings down the straw when she cleans it out of the rabbit hutch. Local residents also bring down their kitchen scraps which help to keep the worms fed. The worm farm is constructed from recycled baths, and the worm wee is collected from the bath’s drain. This ingenious design for the worm farm came from staff at the Royal Botanic Gardens, who visited Thornton early on and shared some helpful advice. Thornton Community Garden is truly a community effort, delivering benefits to everyone involved – improved wellbeing, waste reduction and positive environmental outcomes, a stronger sense of community – but perhaps above all, tasty homegrown food.
