Let your garden be your Valentine

Stawell Community Gardeners love their garden – so much so that, in line with the upcoming celebrations of love associated with Valentine’s Day, the community gardeners will open the gates of their garden to the public.

Group president Jenny Greenberger said having a February 15 open day in the community garden in O’regan Street, around the corner from Patrick Street, was all about sharing a love of gardening.

“We thought Valentine’s Day weekend was the perfect time to invite the community to come and explore what people are growing and producing,” she said.

“There is a strong connection between gardens and the concept of love and we thought we could tie it all together.

“And of course there is nothing better than the flavour of home-grown vegies.

“Stawell Community Gardeners grow vegies and fruit for the community.

“It has been pretty challenging keeping the garden producing during this hot spell.

“But the gardeners have managed to keep it looking green and have harvested some delicious produce.”

Ms Greenberger said the garden, which involves people looking after about 15 individual garden plots at the site, was also about community building.

“As a group we believe community has taken a bit of a back seat in terms of social interaction, with everyone leading such busy lives,” she said.

“So we decided at our last Sunday afternoon social open-garden in January, that we would hold this event to add to Valentine’s Day celebrations.

“We want to share our love of gardening with other people who might not have enough room to grow their own vegies at home.

“Or maybe they just want to meet with other people to share and learn about gardening.

“This is a chance for everyone to come along to the garden to meet us and have a look around.”

The Friday open event, from 6pm, will feature the community, ‘in a relaxed summer evening atmosphere’, sharing food and gardening hints.

Stawell community gardeners will provide a gas barbecue, salad, bread, water, tea and coffee and have asked people to bring their own barbecue items and picnic utensils.

“Please avoid plastic if possible. Providing a song, poem and instrument are optional,” Ms Greenberger said.

“There is a strong connection between gardens and the concept of love and we thought we could tie it all together. And of course there is nothing better than the flavour of home-grown vegies” – Jenny Greenberger