Volunteer gardening crew blitz gardens back to life | My Garden Path | Gardening Australia

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We’re visiting the large, shady garden of Gloria McGrath, who’s one of the clients looked after by the team at Easy Care Gardening. It’s a not-for-profit organisation that uses volunteers to help older people maintain and safely take care of their gardens.

She signed up for Easy Care Gardening as soon as she heard about it. “I thought it was a good idea; I was living alone and still had a lot of palms then, and I have trouble reaching up so I can’t cut anything. We took 20 dead palm fronds down last year and it took 6 weeks to fit them in the green bin!”

Easy Care Gardening is a charity that visits 3-4 times a year and does a major ‘blitz’ of jobs that are too hard for clients, who are frail older people living in their own homes in four northern Sydney municipalities. It started in 1988 with 31 clients and just 4 volunteers - now there are 1000’s of clients and hundreds of volunteers - but Larissa says they’re always looking for more!

Larissa is one of the coordinators for Easy Care, and a horticulturist. She says they rely on volunteers to get the work done, and Gloria’s garden is one of her favourites to visit.

Everyone gets started on the work and Costa chips in to help rake and clear some overgrown groundcovers. He also puts down 5-10 sheets newspaper under the mulch to suppress weed germination and reduce the amount of visits required for weeding.

Jo Toomey is a volunteer and a nurse, and so recognises the importance of keeping older people living in their homes. Kaz is another volunteer who enjoys the company of his colleagues the most. Lesley is another volunteer who loves hearing stories from Gloria. Volunteer Wayne Corrigan works on removing dangerous palm fronds.

Hugh Hamlyn-Harris is a volunteer and the secretary. “I’ve been out gardening with teams - I’m a keen home gardener, but not an expert, but I’m learning a lot as I go from the experts so it’s good. I’m interested in helping older people to stay at home and enjoy their surrounds.” He notes Easy Care has 350 volunteers and cares for around 1000 people.
Morning tea is a vital part of the day’s proceedings. Gloria loves the feeling of being in a community, and says the garden has only become more important since making the choice of staying in her home.

FEATURED PLANTS
CANARY ISLAND DATE PALM Phoenix canariensis *

* Check before planting: this may be an environmental weed in your area

https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/celebrating-a-century/12010706 28/2/2020
https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/centenarian-phyllis-thompson-credits-a-love-of-gardening-for-he/12988858 (Feature) 16/12/2020
https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/a-garden-heirloom/9548084 9/3/2018
Filmed on Dharug Country | Pennant Hills, NSW

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