Toni Holmes from the Parish Recovery Support Service (RSS), in partnership with Head Heart and Hands and Port Macquarie Community Gardens Inc “The Lost Plot’, developed the ‘Rejuvenate your Garden and Mind’ Workshop, free for RSS clients as part of community recovery efforts, tapping into research that shows gardening is beneficial for our mental health.

After many postponements due to wet weather, the much-anticipated workshop was run blue skies at the majestic Port Macquarie community garden ‘The Lost Plot’ on Central Road on Thursday 21 April.

After introductions and a warm Acknowledgement of Country, Graeme, the Manager of The Lost Plot gave everyone a garden tour. Lots of great ideas were shared that could be implemented in the participants’ gardens.

Everyone sat on the edge of their seats as Jeremy and Cathy from Beechwood Biological Solutions and Michael shared their wealth of soil knowledge and how to rejuvenate their soil inundated by floods.  Such was the enthusiasm for this topic that it is hoped to run more workshops in the future (Contact The Lost Plot for further information at [email protected]).

Deb and Graeme from The Lost Plot took care of appetites by providing fresh ingredients for everyone to prepare and bake their individual pizza in the on-site pizza oven.

As everyone enjoyed their delicious pizzas, participants were able to reflect upon their identified strengths through their recovery journey.   One participant shared the story of other locals, the glossy black cockatoo, who lost a significant amount of their homes in the 2019-2020 bush fires.

One participant shared a comment (with a sentiment shared by many participants): “The Community Gardeners were most welcoming, generous, enthusiastic and very informative.  The pizzas were very delicious.  The gardens are lovely, and I will never look at Fungus the same way again, most informative”.

Workshop participants left with a gardener’s starter kit that included soil, soil enhancers, a variety of vegetables and flowers to plant in a planter (the process for which was demonstrated by Graeme) .

A huge thank you to Steve from Lifeline Mid Coast for attending the event and supporting everyone involved.

Please remember, if you need to talk please call Lifeline Mid Coast 13 11 14 or chat online lifeline.org.au or text 0477 13 11 14.  All services are available 24/7.