What Do You Want Your Community Garden To Be?

I know, quite along winded title but it's a question I want everyone to think about? What do you want your community garden to be?

For us who regularly attend, I can say on behalf of all that it's about friendship and being able to garden effectively. It's a place that brings connection through a passion for gardening and nature.

It's truly an amazing place and with recent groups such as Early Years Care who come along and enjoy the space, it makes it an even more valuable and special place for the extended community.

As I express what the garden means to me I want you to think about what it means to you.

The most obvious thing about a garden is the planting, growth and the harvest of food and plants. However, there are other things that grow as a by product such as, friendship, learning new skills, eating well, creativity of many kinds and a sense of joy to be alive.

One of the creative things that have grown organically within the space is the idea of performing a pantomime. What the heck??? Non of us are experts in the field of performing but we are going to give it a go. See what I mean? We have nurtured a can do attitude!

For me personally, I have enjoyed the freedom to paint, create, sing a song, build teepee's, mosaic, watch other people cook, make friends and have my world enlarged.

My vision is to see the space become an out door class room for many different groups for all ages. I would love to start getting people engaged with creative activities or maybe it can be a space where people can picnic and have a rest from what ever bothers them. Community gardens are awesome and I greatly encourage others to be involved and to hopefully show how not only is it about gardening but it's so much more if you let it

We often eat well

And the creativity is shared

and we have our community groups

Barbecue

It's been quite a while since I've written about the goings on at the garden and since the BBQ slab went down it's been a slow and steady journey to get our BBQ ready for use.

We were able to obtain a lovely brickie who gave his time and service for free to help us achieve our BBQ goal.

As time has ticked on there has been much discussion and a lot of hard work and attention, especially from Cliff.

Cliff added this tile BHCG

Thanks Cliff

Cliff had to get a hot plate cut to fit the BBQ and this is us testing it. We had to adjust the chimney as it wasn't drawing correctly. Those little foil things are stuffed spaghetti squash courtesy of the garden and Darren's cooking skills.

After months of watching others contribute to the BBQ, I decided it was my turn to add my bit.

Move over, it's mosaic time.

All I need to do now is grout it. 

Many thanks to Cliff for his extensive collection of tiles that he willingly donated, for if it wasn't for those tiles this wouldn't have been completed in three days. (it could have taken months).

Barbecue Slab

It's been a while since I have showed what recent updates have occurred at the garden. Today we enjoyed each others company while our slab was poured ready for the construction of the barbecue.

I even got to do a little bit of creative concreting by designing a leaf

I didn't know that Matt had six fingers until today.

Things are progressing nicely. 

Early Years Care

How wonderful it has been that The Little Diggers Play Group from Early Years Care have been visiting the Barrack Heights Community Garden for quite some time now. Finally yesterday, I got to play too and had the pleasure of meeting our wonderful visitors.

First there was another lovely visitor who was giving a workshop about worms and then the children were able to experience first hand what the worms are like.

There is nothing so awesome then a ball of squishy worms!!

This is serious discussion taking place here

When I started cutting more bana grass for the teepee, the kids imagination just went crazy with ideas and everyone was having fun. This group are rowing their boats.

There's always room for an extra cubby house at the garden

I love how this little fella is enjoying the feel of this raised garden bed.

Good to see lovely pieces of artwork being created in the garden.

What is so special about yesterday is how wonderful it is to receive great feedback about the place. Both the children and adults enjoy their time there and more carers have since joined the group since it started. It truly is a space where play can be cultivated, creativity pursued and connections with the community are made.

Panorama Love

So a funny thing happened to me yesterday, I accidentally found that I could do panoramic photo's on my iphone. Wow, such a revelation. So with that in mind I took a whole heap of pictures of the garden. I had so much fun.

Growing Minds Greening Communities

Today I had an enjoyable time at Blackbutt Reserve which was the location of a fun event for participating child care centres, family and staff.

What is Growing Minds Greening Communities?

"The Growing Minds Greening Communities project is funded by the NSW Environment Trust. It has been designed to help local child care centres in the Shellharbour Area operate more sustainably, improve connections with families and provide resources for the children"

I was invited to come along and represent The Barrack Heights Community Garden by making a teepee and doing fun nature stuff.

I have made quite a few teepee's now and I have to say that this was the best effort so far

The kids were great and took over with their own ideas, which is supposed to happen. We had a river (blanket) with sharks and fish. We also had a garden (another blanket) that had tomatoes, carrots and peas. These were all drawn on pieces of cardboard.

I was also incredibly impressed with this young girl as I witnessed her make this teepee for her dolly. The other one is my letterbox that fell apart. She showed me how's its done!!!

With the introduction of coloured wool the teepee became a work of art....just the way I like it 

Today was a great success and for all who came along, we also were entertained with a puppet show, songs, a sausage sizzle and a variety of sustainable ideas to take home.

The Shared Garden

Last week I went to the garden on Thursday and it was quiet and peaceful. As I was enjoying the space I noticed a chap and his little boy coming down the hill and they both looked as though they were enjoying the themselves. After a meander through the bush garden he sat down and looked really content and that's when I interrupted his quiet contemplation with a "G'day".

It was so good to see someone from the community just come to the space and enjoy it. He told me that he often came there to relax and one time took some of the bana grass home to plant in his own back yard.

As we continued to chat the best story he told me was how one night he picked a giant zucchini and took it to a mates house and all of his mates asked "Whered ja get that this time of night??" "From the gaaaarden"

I wonder how many others enjoy the garden without our knowledge? I hope there is more than just this one person.