By Callum Ludwig
Getting out in the garden can be a great way to be active, spice up your backyard and become a bit more sustainable.
Through the Yarra Junction Cire Community Hub, it can also be a social opportunity in the Green Thumbs Galore social group.
YJ Cire lead Customer Service Officer Nicole Plasajec said they’d love to get more people involved as the group prepares its Autumn garden.
“We are only a few weeks into this year and already people are able to contribute and get their hands dirty, and they are finding to see something they’ve planted grow and put food on the table is nice and rewarding,” she said.
“It’s rewarding on so many levels to plant our own food, with the cost of living just going through the roof and the donation of plants and grass cuttings or at a very low cost and grow something from nothing is so important.”
Currently, the group are aerating and feeding the soil for the next couple of weeks before deciding what will be planted to grow through Autumn.
Ms Plasajec said there are quite a few good green thumbs keen to share their skills with new members.
“Some have every tip and trick under the sun of preserving, others have great skills on grassing plants and what to create from different cuttings and things like that,” she said.
“I have a big vision to incorporate our community pantry with the community garden so users from the community can come in and get some food relief and pop around the garden and grab some fresh herbs or some fresh tomatoes and make a nutritious and delicious meal.”
All ages and experience levels are welcome to join in every Thursday, 1pm to 3pm at the Yarra Junction Hub.
Ms Plasajec said it’s also huge for creating friendships.
“We’ve had a craft group here who twelve months ago didn’t know each other, and now they’ve exchanged mobile numbers and are catching up for coffee on the weekends. That’s the importance of neighbourhood houses and community hubs,” she said.
“The garden group will be similar, where members are coming in, making new connections, giving them purpose and they’re excited to see each other the next week.”
