The Community Garden movement has been around for as long as anyone can remember. It began in urban areas where people had less access to growing their own gardens, either for food or enjoyment, so an area was developed into a garden for all to come together to work and enjoy the benefits and produce from a shared space.
But it didn’t stop there. What was found was a place of connection, a place of education, a place of giving and receiving, common interests, friendships, care and compassion. The bounty of the earth made itself available, the fresh produce, nurtured lovingly from seed, is enjoyed by families, given to those in need, shared with friends and co-workers, even sold for profit to further the cause of the garden.
Community Gardens have spread all over the country. It’s a movement in its own right, and you can find one in regional and rural areas just as much as the urban areas. It’s a whole network of like-minded people, gardens of all shapes and sizes belonging under the Community Gardens Australia umbrella, to receive support with the legal and administrative side of things, with education, and opportunities to develop a successful space for all to enjoy.
PermacultureWest supports the Community Gardens organisation. We enjoy a partnership enabling us to work together promoting each other’s events and activities, to learn from each other, to enjoy the celebrations and progress as we continue to spread the message and movement of Permaculture and Community Gardens.
If you would like to become involved with a Community Garden, you can search the Community Gardens Australia directory to see if there’s one near you.