Since last October, when The Bugle reported that Gerringong Community Garden had a new president in Sue Daniels, the garden has doubled in size, offering a bounty of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and bee-friendly flowers.

Daniels, who previously spent eight years with the Kiama Community Garden, brought her self-taught gardening skills from the UK, where she managed an acre of garden. She now leads the Gerringong group focusing on sustainability and permaculture principles. The garden avoids harmful pesticides, relying instead on natural methods like banana peels, eggshells, and garlic spray to deter pests.

Composting plays a crucial role in the garden’s success. The group maintains ten compost bins, supplemented by organic waste from the local Perfect Break Café and seaweed collected from the beach. This rich compost reduces the need for store-bought fertilisers.

The group, consisting of about 12 members, meets every Tuesday morning to work in the garden. After a few hours of toil, they enjoy tea and homemade cake. Daniels keeps the team motivated with charming, poetic texts outlining the day's tasks, adding a touch of fun to their routine.

One of the members, an engineer, designed an irrigation system to keep the plants hydrated during warmer months, addressing the challenges of weather fluctuations. The garden yields a variety of produce, including bananas, blueberries, and blackberries, and the group hopes to expand to raspberries, avocados, and olives.

However, the garden's expansion has brought financial challenges. Every year, the group needs new soil, seed-raising mix, and protective nets, but as they are not a registered Not-For-Profit organisation, they struggle to secure funding. This raises the question of whether they could join a larger NFP to access grants.

Beyond gardening, the Gerringong Community Garden group is a close-knit community. If you're interested in joining or just want to see the garden, you're welcome to visit the Gerringong Bowling Club on a Tuesday morning after 10am to meet the group.