Hill Street senior social housing tenants to benefit from garden project

Community Housing Limited and Botanic Gardens of Sydney launched a community garden project at a Hill Street unit complex on Tuesday, September 26.

The project aims to transform the health and wellbeing of senior social housing tenants through the power of gardening.

The new gardens were delivered through the Botanic Gardens of Sydney's award-winning Community Greening program, which is funded by the Department of Communities and Justice.

Botanic Gardens of Sydney Aboriginal education officer Brenden Moore said the program results in healthy social interactions as residents grow their own food and learn more about sustainable living.

"Through planting vegetable patches, fruit trees, and flowers, the new Community Greening garden in Port Macquarie will give senior social housing tenants a great opportunity to socialise, de-stress, and improve their overall health and wellbeing through gardening," he said.

Community Housing Limited community development manager Steve Neale and the gardening projects yield benefits including bringing people out of post-COVID isolation as they socialise together.

The garden launch involved adding soil and fertiliser to garden beds, planting herbs, vegetables, flowers and fruit trees and installing a worm farm.

Resident Peter Lewis described the garden project as fantastic.

"I've been a gardener all my life," he said.

Mr Lewis said the garden will bring residents together and provide fresh produce to help ease the cost of living pressures.

Resident Michelle Fardell said the garden project is the best thing.

"Everyone should get outside and enjoy the beautiful things in the world," she said.

"The more you give, the more you will get back."

The garden launch represented the first stage of the project at the Hill Street unit complex.

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