Sustainable Living in the City – Jane Street Community Garden

For over 10 years the Jane Street Community Garden has been an integral part of the local community in vibrant West End. The inner city oasis has over 200 different varieties of edible plants, including salad greens, vegetables, herbs, fruit and butterfly and insect attracting plants. The gardens are divided into communal growing areas, demonstration sites and individually rented plots (check out the Garden Plan for more details).

• Individual Plots: Plot Holders can rent a plot to grow organic food for their personal use.
• Communal Plots: communal growing spaces where Casual Workers and Garden Members work together to grow and harvest organic produce.
• Demonstration plots: areas of raised wicking beds that are used in workshops as demonstrations plots and available to harvest by the wider community.
• Herb Plots: communal beds grow produce available to be harvested by the wider community.
• Compost and Mulch Plots: areas set aside to grow crops including arrow root, comfrey and yarrow for use in compost making and weed teas for fertiliser.
• Perimeter of the Garden: areas that grow a range of culinary and medicinal herbs and fruit trees.
• Facilities: The gardens have a large shade house, 2 small social areas, 2 sheds, compost bays and worm farm.

There are many different ways to get involved at the gardens including becoming a Casual Worker, Garden Member, Supporting Garden Member, Plot Holder, Sponsor or Partner depending on your time availability and interests.

Alternatively you can sponsor a native bee high. Australia has over 1,500 native bees species, and their nests are often destroyed. The bees play an important role in the eco system and are effective pollinators of many native plants. Therefore they are integral to food security, in particular with the threats of honey bees. They also run regular low costs garden and sustainability workshops. They always recommend booking in early as spaces can fill fast.  Click here to go to their Facebook page to keep in touch with what they have coming up and how you can get involved.