Backyard Blitz – Salvation Army, 7 Bowen St, Camberwell

Community Service
Familiar faces - mostly - weaving horticultural magic at the Camberwell Salvos

Fired up after our successful and fun Backyard Blitz at Munro Street (Housing Commission) and in a moment of enthusiasm (while directing a Cooking Class), I asked Norman Gale if he’d like us to improve their garden. His eyes lit up and he replied eagerly, “Would you?”

Maria and Simon - what a pair!

We stood at the window looking out. “This is meant to be the Garden Room,” he said as we looked out at the grey fence and dirt.

Feeling excited, Jenny and I met with Anne Eaton at Bowen Street to discuss plans and plants. With her list in hand, off we went to Bunnings Hawthorn, who were so kind to us last time. Hannah Hall, the Events Manager, gave us a $200 voucher (wonderful!) so we trotted off to the garden section and put aside some plants.

I returned with Anne to make the final choice and we filled the trolley with camellias, kangaroo paws and a variety of native plants of varying sizes at a cost of $465 ($265 to our club).

A call went out to our troops and six brave souls answered. THANK YOU to Lawrie Mann, David Fallick, Rob Winspear, Simon Messenger,

Teamwork - David and Rob

 Christine McCann and Wendy Cross.

At 9am on Thursday, 4th December, we gathered at Bowen Street, took up arms – shovels, rakes, garden forks, etc. - and got digging. The David, Rob and Lawrie contingent put in the camellias along the fence line. Anne set out the remaining 23 plants in the smaller end area and we trampled around putting them in without trampling on each other’s plants or each other.

By noon, the job was done! 33 plants AND soil…

Happily “smudged” (except me whose white pants were still pristine), we stood back and enjoyed the result of our labours. Lawrie got the prize for the dirtiest jeans.

The plants are in - time ro admire the handiwork

The banana cake that Anne made for morning tea and the lunch sandwiches were delicious. Thank you, Anne.

Tomorrow, I’m collecting 20 Seaside Daisies from Warran Glen Nurseries to finish the job – they weren’t available anywhere else or earlier – and planting them on Monday, 15th.

Thank you once again to the happy gardeners and to Bunnings for another FUN project carried out by the Community Services committee.

Maria Pantling