This is a new kind of community garden where neighbours have joined together to link their gardens and share the harvests. It is not just about growing food but creating community and fostering respect for the earth and each other. The three original gardens are lovingly tended by Joe Kielnerowski and Rosanne Parker assisted by friends, neighbours and local community gardeners and follow permacult
ure and organic principles. From the four gardens available on the first opening, there are now around fifteen connected at two close locations, plus some satellite gardens belonging to regular volunteers. We currently have some wonderful helpers who always go home with some plants or produce from the garden and hopefully information to enable them to set up their own gardens at home. We especially love mentoring families with young children. We also have associations with local schools who have supported us over the years and now the classes visit for sustainability and environmental education. Joe has qualifications in urban permaculture design and is occasionally available for garden design projects. In our first opening back in February 2013 nearly 1000 people came through as part of the old Open Gardens Scheme. We have since opened up five connected gardens each year for Open Gardens South Australia and once the Covid lockdown restrictions are over we would like to put on other events with an educational and conscious living focus. Please let us know what you would like! Suggestions are short courses on gardening and permaculture, film, music or meditation gatherings, discussion groups etc. There is also a small nursery in one of the gardens specialising in warm/dry climate fruits. This is simply to fund maintenance of the gardens (and to give away to our volunteers) and we have a plant sale at the open garden and then once or twice during the year that we promote on the page. We are members of the Rare Fruit Society of SA and grow a very large variety of fruit (over 500 different types) including Mediterranean, native, subtropical and exotics. We maintain an extensive fig collection of around 250 varieties and also collections of guavas and mangoes which we are trialling in response to our changing climate. For inquiries, speaking engagements, to arrange a garden club or private group, visit please call Joe on 0402 298 409 or Rosanne on 0402 140 219. Events in the garden, such as workshops and busy bees, can be seen on Facebook or AgriAdventures and booked via AgriAdventures events. Location of the gardens is Elizabeth Grove, half hour north of Adelaide, South Australia. Since we started this page right after the first Open Garden in 2013 our activities and following have grown and we intend to expand what we are doing further in the coming year or so. If you have suggestions about what activities or workshops you would like please let us know as we are very flexible. Most events are free or very low cost. As well as the original group of five gardens at Elizabeth Grove, there is now another group of six gardens a couple of kilometres away at Elizabeth East with extra activities such as beekeeping, aquaponics and poultry raising. A beautiful new indoor activity space is nearing completion which opens up the possibilities of services we can provide. This page and the associated groups are maintained by Rosanne with very occasional identified input from Joe.
