The seeds for an open garden event in the Douglas Shire were sewn at the 2019 Douglas Shire Garden Awards night with beloved gardener, Costa Georgiadis. While the ‘Let It Grow’ awards reward the finest gardens, there seemed a missed opportunity for the public to visit and experience the beauty and unique nature of the entrant gardens.
Passionate food grower and gardener, Monika Prins, also noticed that during the Covid lockdown, many fellow community members were enjoying the serendipitous and addictive pleasure of slowing down and getting their hands dirty in the garden. She decided to take action, and to start working on an Open Garden event. Her enthusiasm was unstoppable. She got novice veggie gardener, Mandy Stone, on board to help out, and they developed a plan and a vision for the project.
Everyday Gardens by Everyday People.
Biodynamics FNQ Inc assisted to auspice the event, while a micro-grant from Douglas Shire Council helped fund the promotion, assistance and equipment loans from Council staff, and a donation from the Mossman Botanic Gardens helped bring the project to fruition, while the amazing support of family, friends and fellow gardening enthusiasts fuelled this truly grassroots community event.
Open Gardens Douglas Shire encourages locals to find pleasure in gardening, no matter how big or small their space is. Gardening is great for the body, mind and spirit. It provides pleasure for the eyes (and the stomach!) and is a lot of fun.
I would like to build a network of gardeners who support each other through working, learning and enjoying together what nature has to offer in an ecologically sensible and sustainable way. Along these lines I would like to promote regenerative practices and principals to a larger audience. I am delighted if one or the other member of the community starts a small veggie patch or uses a traditionally ornamental garden space to grow some food.
MONIKA PRINS
The open garden event provides the opportunity for community members to visit a diverse variety of local gardens, from vegetable patches, small gardens in aged housing, community gardens, chickens, container planting, bee keeping, beach-side gardens, organic biodynamic gardens and bush gardens.
All participating gardeners are delighted to demonstrate the beauty and interest of their everyday gardens. Some gardeners will offer a short guided tour while others let visitors enjoy a stroll through some areas of their garden paradise.
Show your support by visiting Open Gardens Douglas Shire on the long weekend Saturday 3 October to Monday 5 October, 2020.
Please note that each garden is open only a few hours on one of the days.
By visiting the website http://www.biodynamicsfnq.org.au/open-gardens you will find out where to be, and when. The cost to enter each garden is a gold coin donations which will go to fund a future similar event.
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