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Green-fingered residents at The Botanic in Silverdale have left an indelible mark on the retirement village following the recent opening of a large community garden project.
The developers had earmarked an area near the heart of the village for a community garden and encouraged residents to have their say on how it should be planted, tended, and managed.
Alan Edwards, a partner at The Botanic, says it soon became apparent that there are a lot of keen gardeners in the village.
“We didn’t have to ask them twice,” he says.
The garden has become a resident-led project encompassing two 26sqm glasshouses connected by a pergola, 24 individual planter boxes, and an edible orchard of fruit trees and vines including persimmon, citrus, feijoa, fig, grape, berries, stone fruit, apple, and avocado.
Edwards says a group of residents established a committee and the garden is now wholly run by residents, for residents.
“Our construction team helped build the barbecue area, bench seats and tables, but the gardens are completely in the hands of residents,” he says.
Alan Ferguson is the chair of the newly formed community garden committee. He says the garden is a calm and welcoming environment which fosters companionship and connection among the residents.
“Many of us have been gardening for years so we bring all that experience into one place, and everybody benefits.”
Residents were eager to get planting in autumn and the planter boxes and glasshouses are flush with the fruit of their labour. Brassicas, onions and glasshouse tomatoes are all growing well into the winter.
In time, residents will be able to host friends and family for barbeques in the garden area, with produce from the garden making the journey from garden to plate.
