Lawn bowls and gardening go hand-in-hand

Laverton Bowls Club members with their community garden. (Jacob Pattison)350692_01

Lawn bowls is not the only hobby the Laverton Bowls Club group likes to share together; the group has recently received a community garden which they tend to together.

President Doreen Keane looks after 70 members at the club, who recently received a grant from Hobsons Bay council to install a community garden.

“We were thrilled to receive the grant, we cleaned the whole area out and eventually all the volunteers got it up and running,” she said.

The group decided to make the main garden an edible garden for community members to pick and choose fresh produce to take when needed.

“Nearly everything in there is edible, a lot of the current produce is winter stuff which we planted in spring,” she said.

“Most things are green winter vegetables, but we will soon plant tomatoes.

“We want people to be able to come and take the food that grows and go home and cook with it.”

Ms Keane said any member of the community is welcome to plant to their hearts desire.

“People will need to communicate what they want to plant, but anyone is welcome, especially to help maintain the garden,” she said.

“At the moment we have around 10 regular gardeners, but we hope that will increase when the weather improves.

“We have another section of the garden where people can sit and have tea or coffee, which is lovely.

“As well as the rose garden which we decided to keep and maintain when the grant came through.”

As far as feedback from the community , Ms Keane said the response has been great.

“Everyone who comes to visit has shared their delight in the garden.

“People have given great feedback and suggestions and we appreciate it.”

Jennifer Pittorino