Community garden nourishing bodies, minds and souls

Holy Spirit Parish Church in Amaroo fosters a community of inclusion. The very young through to senior members are all encouraged to contribute and feel a sense of belonging.

The Church shares grounds with Good Shepherd School. An old vegetable garden on the grounds presented an opportunity for cross-pollination and community-building.

With the help of a Community Garden Grant, the Church brought the garden back to life. Parishioners and students embarked a journey of discovery together.

The challenge

“As a Catholic parish, one of our purposes is to respond to the needs of the community,” said Theivani Evers, the Office Manager of Holy Spirit Parish.

“Social anxiety is so prevalent among young people around Australia nowadays. Providing spaces that support wellbeing and calm is more important than ever.

“We thought that we could create such a space for our community in the form of a garden. We could renew an old vegetable garden established by the school some years ago.

“We thought that a garden could also strengthen our connection to the school and broader Amaroo community,” Theivani said.

The action

“The old garden already had a lot of basic infrastructure in place. It had raised and in-ground garden beds. It also had a water tank and a greenhouse” said Fiona Wilkinson, a volunteer on the project.

“We recruited volunteers through the parish and school newsletters. We also as used social media.

“One volunteer was a plumber. He was able to provide professional advice on reinstating the water tank and pump.

“Volunteers worked together on various tasks. They tidied up the site, moved the green house and built wicking beds. They also repaired the water tanks and replaced the water pump

“We used the grant funding to buy materials for the wicking beds, soil, mulch, seeds and seedlings. The grant also paid for a new tool shed, wheelbarrow, and other gardening equipment.

“We sourced second-hand compost bins and worm farms to set up a composting area. The composting facilities would allow us to transform food waste from the school into nutrients for the garden. The composting facilities could also demonstrate circular-economy principles.

“One unforeseen problem was feral rabbits. With persistent rabbit-proofing, we finally managed to keep them out of the garden.

The benefit

“Watching the garden produce its first summer crop was an exciting moment for the gardening team.

“Now, we have harvested a range of vegetables and herbs from the garden. We've had leafy greens and herbs like lettuce, spinach, parsley, coriander, and basil. We've had solanaceous vegetables like zucchini, capsicum, chilli, tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes. We've also had snow peas, beetroot, okra, and corn.

“The comradery of working together has been a highlight, as well as learning new skills to use in our own gardens at home,” Fiona said.

Office Manager, Theivani said “together, our volunteers, parish staff and the school community are learning so much about gardening.

“We have enjoyed learning about growing and using foods from the many nations and cultures represented in our parish and school.

“It’s been an honour to share our harvests with all who need it, especially disadvantaged families. We have distributed our produce through our parish outreach groups. These groups provide care to people in times of need.

“We have been proud to share the story of our garden with the wider parish community. We hope that our project will inspire others to initiate their own community-building projects.”