Costa helps garden grow
GARDENING Australia host Costa Georgiadis has made his third visit to Cairns in 12 months to help celebrate Manoora Community Garden’s first birthday.
Garden co-ordinator Amy Eden said 275 people attended the event on Sunday.
“The day exceeded our expectations more than we could possibly imagine,” she said.
“Eighty pizzas just disappeared before our eyes and it was a really successful event, it got people liking the page and asking how they contribute.
“Costa is going to be a regular visitor, he’s in it for the long haul.
“The garden is starting to mature, yesterday we had a heap of kids pull out a whole heap of sweet potato, so it is producing plenty and there is lots of citrus.
“Costa did a demonstration of a dwarf lychee tree, donated by Limberlost.
“We just want to promote awareness the garden is there to use as space for all sorts of things. You can go there to practise guitar playing, read a book, pop in and say g’day to your neighbours.
“And for people living in apartments, it is a really good place to drop scrap and aluminium cans, and it’s free if you want a garden bed.”
The Manoora Community Garden was started to help heal the community after the death of eight children in 2014.
There are now 40 garden beds, seven varieties of chilli, mango, avocado, passionfruit and dragon fruit plants as well as taro and eggplant and others.