"A garden is not a place. It's a journey"
Monty Don
It's a fascinating journey as well and you learn something new as you travel each day. Gardens are constantly evolving and you never really reach a final destination but the journey is so interesting that you don't mind at all. The journey this year will take us all to some great places and there will be lots of opportunities along the way to explore the amazing and fascinating world of biodiversity. We have a small, dedicated band of travellers who are determined to make our garden something really special for the community as a whole - come aboard and join in the fun!
Garden Social Sunday and Workshops
Sunday 28th May 10am - 2pm
Food, refreshments, Composting workshop, Plants for sale, meet the committee, rock painting activity for children. More info from Eventbrite on the button below. Click below to book.
Mid Coast Sustainability Inc. conducted its first Annual General Meeting on Thursday 30th March 7pm at Seaford Community Centre
At the meeting that was attended by 10 members, Rory (Chair) presented a report on the progress of the Garden, the financial report was tabled and approved and the election of members to the committee was held. Current committee members Rory, Wayne, Kaarin, Jan and Mel will continue while Debbie and Tony are retiring. A nomination was received for Jennie Simon and she was duly elected to the committee. Welcome aboard Jennie and thank you for taking on the Orchard as a special interest. The meeting confirmed that memberships and raised bed leases currently held will be due for renewal on 1st July 2023. An reminder email will be sent to all members and leaseholders in June 2023.
Meet our member - Owen Symes, our website developer and social media guru
I'm a Kiwi software developer who knows almost nothing about gardening. I moved to Adelaide 7 years ago - the promise of better weather and fewer earthquakes, combined with a convincing argument by a beautiful Adelaide woman I met overseas (my now wife) persuaded me to make the move.
As a developer I've built web applications for businesses in New Zealand, Malaysia and Australia. However, I also was looking for a way to use my skills to contribute to my local community and when my wife mentioned to me that she met a couple (Jack and Hannah) who were setting up a community garden and needed a website, I volunteered without hesitation. I hope to meet some of you on my visits to the garden. I'm often there looking for nice photos for the website or our social media. Hopefully I can also absorb some gardening knowledge from you all!
Flowers of the Garden by Manhal Shaani
The Herb Garden
On Thursday 23rd March a small band of intrepid members designed and built a new and very important feature of our garden - a place where we can grow (and pick!) herbs that add so much flavour and interest to our meals, drinks and preserves. Thank you to Chris, Jennie, Mel S, Trevor, Apisara and Janine for your great work!
Highlights from the Garden Take #2
Correction from our last newsletter!
The spectacular flower of the globe artichoke was actually from Janine's great garden. The artichoke is a variety of a species of thistle which has been cultivated as a food. The edible part of the plant is the flower bud before the flower blooms. Nicely framed in this photo by an excellent crop of sweet basil, a zucchini? and maybe a red capsicum in the background.
Members Working Bee
All members are invited to come to a working bee on Saturday 20th May at the garden. We will be working from 8am - 3pm and you are welcome to join us at whatever time suits you best - stay as long as you can. The main tasks will be removing kikuyu grass from the raised bed and orchard areas and establishing pathways between the beds using Yankomite (a fine crushed gravel material). In the orchard we plan to clear a circle of 1.5m radius around each tree and cover with woodchips. Wheelbarrows, shovels, spades, rakes, and mattocks will be useful on the day. We also plan to hire a tracked loader to speed up the process.
The Seaford Wetlands Community Friday Gardening Group
All members are very welcome to come along to the social/gardening group held in the Garden enclosure on alternate Fridays from 9am-11am (the next meeting is Friday 28th April). Have a chat over morning tea/coffee (you may need to bring a thermos until we sort out a kitchen), do a bit of gardening, maybe work on an area of the community garden - there is no set agenda. Contact the organiser Mel Styles through the garden email address below.
Fundraising BBQ - More Help welcome Many thanks to our workers at the Seaford Bunnings BBQ on Sunday 26th March. The weather was not kind with rain throughout most of the day but they managed to raise over $1100 that will be very useful for important additions to the garden.A huge thank you Narrah, Paul, Ellen, Rory, Jennie, Owen, Kaarin, Tony, Janine, Sky and Wayne for their help. We have another BBQ on Sunday 30th April at Seaford Bunnings and we still have a couple of spots if you would like to help for a couple of hours. Seaford Bunnings Sunday 30th April - we operate from 8.30am - 4pm Please drop us an email to seafordcg@gmail.com or phone Wayne 0413 440 545
Coming Up in the Garden and Wetlands in 2023
Orchard development and maintenance
Friday morning Social group - Friday 28th April
Bunnings BBQ fundraiser - Sunday 30 April
Continued development of our new herb garden
Members Working Bee - Saturday 20th May from 8am
Social Sunday - morning tea, Composting workshop, Rock Painting - 28th May
Paths around the raised beds, sensory garden, wet area
Construction of shed(s), meeting area, greenhouse
Entrance archway, gates and locks
Market garden area development
Wetlands view pergola
Natives (including native edibles) planting
Wetlands planting day July
This project was seeded by
