February – March 2023

Welcome to our very first Coastal Community Garden Newsletter – Watermelon & Waves.

Each newsletter will contain stories of members (in this issue we look at our founding member Natalie Charlton), a welcome to new members, a review of this season’s gardening jobs, what to plant, what fruits and vegies are in season here in Perth and will take a look at one of our local natives. 

We have chosen to bring you our Watermelon & Waves at the start of every Noongar Season.  The Noongar calendar has six seasons including two summers and two springs.  We are now entering into the hottest part of the year, the Second Summer or Bunuru Season, which covers from February to March.  Bunuru is known for hot easterly winds, cool afternoon sea breezes and very little rain.  It is also a time for white flowers, which are in abundance on the Jarrah, Marri and Ghost Gums.

What to expect in this issue:

• Members Story – Our Founder
• What’s Happening in Our Garden
• New Members
• Up and Coming Events
• Gardening Jobs During this Season: February – March
• What to Plant Now
• Fruits and Vegies in Season
• This Issues Native Plant

Over the coming months we would like to share with you stories of the birth and growth of this wonderful project.  In this our very first edition Natalie shares where she got her inspiration.

Members Story – A brief overview of our early beginnings

Natalie Charlton – our founding member

Natalie records that there was discussion on a Facebook group 4 years ago in 2019 about the idea of a community garden (initially at the unused plot of land next to North Beach Shops). She was on maternity leave at the time with a 6-month old. Not ready to return to work but liking the idea of pursuing a goal with a purpose, she decided to look further afield for an appropriate site.  During this process she had the pleasure of meeting Shelli Hockey and Lian Yeap; together they became the founding members of the now Coastal Community Garden committee. With the interim committee in place, they put forward the Proposal for a plot of land in Waterman’s Bay on Laurie Strut Reserve.  Because this was during Covid lockdown, it was all done through Zoom.  As it turned out, this land was not suitable for a community garden site; however, through the process, they had learnt that there was overwhelming community support for a project of this kind.

Since then our committee has grown to 9 people, our three founding members with Lian as secretary, then Dan Adams as project manager (recruited due to his wealth of knowledge in this area). Next came Carrol Flemmer, Meredith Worthington and Michelle Lawson, all of whom have contributed with their various skills. Then came Allan McCamish with his accounting skills.  The latest community member to join the team is Sally Hall, who joined her first committee meeting on her birthday and was welcomed with a bottle of champagne.  Actually the champagne was to celebrate The City of Stirling Council approval of the third and final site for the community garden in North Beach!

The third site looked at for our community garden was thoroughly explored.  The founding members working hard, building a relationship with City of Stirling Council.  Our garden name was chosen, followed by designing a logo. Working closely with the council to bring clarity to how much water we are actually permitted to use per year and gaining approval for the garden design plans, we received the go ahead for our Coastal Community Garden along with the finalised licence agreement.

During this time a constitution was established, enabling us to become an incorporated not-for-profit organisation. This too was quite a process.  A bank account was opened and applications for funding and grants submitted.  These grants will enable us to establish the garden’s infrastructure, garden beds and the like.  Then guidelines needed  to be drawn up for the community garden plus OH&S procedures.  Brochures needed to be printed and distributed to our neighbours around our new site, ideas for a website and newsletter were discussed during our committee meetings as was the need for sponsors and volunteers to help with work necessary to establish the garden. There has been a lot of learning along the way as the committee looked into things they had never experienced before.

Other work that has been done to help people get to know our presence was setting up a Facebook page, which now has 286 members and recently Instagram (A link to both these is at the bottom of this newsletter).

Even though this journey has felt like a slow process, when Natalie reflects back on all that has been accomplished by willing members of the community and other volunteers, we really have achieved a lot.

Natalie’s passion for the community garden has finally come together.  Her original dream of connecting our community, caring for our environment and learning from each other as we share and exchange skills is coming to pass.

In our next edition we will hear from another of our founding members, Lian Yeap.

What’s Happening in Our Garden – Work done along the way

On 10^th December 2022 we had the handover of the license agreement and ‘Breaking Ground’ ceremony organised by Fiona Blackham from the City of Stirling, with Mayor Mark Irwin and Council members Felicity Farrelly and Tony Krsticevic, David Harbridge from the North Beach Tennis Club and of course our Coastal Community Garden committee.  Photos were taken of this very memorable day, which was also supported by new CCG members and some of the local community.

Then there was a break over Christmas and New Year 2023 with the committee coming together to discuss amongst other things, site works for approval and costs for Stage 1 of our garden establishment, fundraising strategies, newsletter and website.

As of now, its spades to the dirt and backs into the work of establishing the foundations to our new garden, so if you’re interested in volunteering, please let us know.

New Members:

CCG would like to welcome members who have so generously contributed before the garden was even established.  Member’s fees are being put towards necessary projects in our garden, our bi-monthly newsletters, updates of what’s happening throughout the year as well as shared produce from the garden once available. Please pass the word around as we are looking for new members.  This year only we are offering founding members a special deal of $30 membership up until June 2024.  If you would like to become a member, please email us.  If you do not want your name to appear in our newsletter please inform us.  Thank you.

Up and Coming Events:

Stage 1 of plans for our new site are underway. There was removal of existing structure on the site by council before construction could begin.

Construction: Dan and The Artisan Co. have joined us in establishing our new garden. Stage 1 of our development has commenced this month and volunteers are welcome to join this exciting time.  Our stage 1 plans will soon be able to be viewed on our website.

Fundraiser: We are working towards raising funds for our new gardens and would love for you to get involved.  There are plans for a morning tea day, where plants, cakes, snacks and sausage sizzle will be available for sale, so if you are able to contribute in any way – plants or morning tea-type finger foods please contact us.

Volunteers Needed:  We are looking for people who are eager to be involved with the many projects that are beginning at our CCG site.  Please let us know if you are interested and what skills or talents you can share with us.  We are looking for:

1. Registered Builder who can assist with very basic BA1 requirements for installing a pre-manufactured shed and patio.
2. People with trades to help Dan and his team – such as landscaping, carpentry, bricklaying, paving, cementing, and general skilled labour experiences and know how.
3. People to help out with our fundraising team – sausage sizzler, paella, morning tea goodies, tea, coffee and soft drinks sales.
4. Boots on the ground – helping where needed both light physical and heavy physical activities.

If you feel you may be able to contribute in any of these areas please email us. See link below.

Link to a yearly calendar will also be coming soon.

Gardening Jobs During Bunuru Season:

Stay out of the heat.  Don’t forget to take care of yourself in the heat – slip, slop, slap, stay hydrated and take regular breaks.  Work in the morning or evening when it is cooler to avoid over-doing it in the heat of the day.

Challenging at this time of the year is the scorching weather and hot dry winds. Pot plants should be checked regularly. Some that are more exposed or in terracotta pots may overheat and tend to dry out more than others.  Where possible, cover plants with shade cloth during very high temperatures.

Hydrophobic soils – wetter soil agents will help but the best prevention is mulching.

Mulch – over bare earth where no plants are growing; this will help protect soil biology and aid with water repellent problems.

What to Plant Now:

FEBRUARY – MARCH

Flowers:

Ageratum, alyssum, boronia, calendula, cornflower, cyclamen, forget-me-not, hollyhock, linaria, nasturtium, pansy, salvia, statice, stock, sweet pea, verbena, vinca, viola, wallflower.

Vegetables:

Beans, beetroot, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbages, capsicum, carrots, cauliflowers, celery, chilli, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, herbs, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, melons, spring onions, parsnips, peas, radishes, rhubarb crowns, Silverbeet, sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchinis.

It’s a challenge growing vegetables in the hottest time of the year here in Perth but with a daily hand water and possibly shade cloth you’ll still be able to have a productive garden.  To prevent stressed plants from bolting to seed, keep up the water and ensure seeds & seedlings don’t dry out.

W.A Fruits and Vegies in Season:

Apples, apricots, avocadoes, bananas, cherries, grapes, mangoes, rockmelon, watermelon, nectarines, passionfruit, pawpaw, peaches, plums,

Beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrots, celery, chillies, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, radish, rhubarb, silverbeet, spring onions, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, turnips zucchini.

This Issues Native Plant: (for our coastal region the Bassendean and Spearwood dune sands Perth)