West Australian waste educator Peg Davies is holding a workshop at Mandurah Community Gardens on Saturday 10th December 2022. Peg has been educating schools, organisations and local government for over 13 years, with her waste education programs winning many awards. To learn more about what Peg offers, go to her Lessen With Peg: Rethink Waste website www.lessenwithpeg.com

The workshop is in 2 parts, covering:

Composting Made Easy
Making compost can be a smelly or sometimes depressing experience - no more bad smells, rats or flies. You will never need to buy soil or conditioner again.

We were recently given the exciting news that our grant application with Lotterywest was successful!

After nearly two years in the planning, we are now able to move ahead with our planned upgrades. These include extending our under cover area by three metres and extension to the side of the roof so that our workshops can comfortably accommodate more people. We will also be adding clear café blinds to keep out the wind and rain during winter so that the area is more weatherproof.

Another project on the list - we will also be installing a new kitchen! This will give our members and visitors more working space, and a healthier environment for food preparation. The new cupboard space will also provide much needed extra storage in the shed.

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We anticipate the work to commence in March 2023 and that it should not be too disruptive, but we will keep you informed along the way so you know what’s happening in our beautiful garden.

Early next year we hope to have a small gathering at the garden to celebrate this wonderful grant from Lotterywest - we will publish more details closer to the event.

Again, we deeply thank Lotterywest for this wonderful grant that will extend the value that Mandurah Community Gardens provides to our community.

Expect updates as work progresses - stay tuned!

Starting in November and continuing in December on successive Tuesdays, the air will be filled with beautiful sound as vocal coach Sarah Morrison from Musical Kite String holds singing workshops at Mandurah Community Gardens.

Cost is $10 per session to attend and participate. Make a booking by phoning 0449 795 574

When:
Tuesday 29 November - 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Tuesday 6th Dec - 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Tuesday 13th Dec - 1:30pm to 2:30pm

As Sarah says, "Singing is great for the soul, it boosts mental health and confidence". So why not get involved and share with others in the moment?

No experience is necessary to attend, and everyone is welcome to come down and learn how to express themselves. It's a joyful tonic for the soul.

If this is you, or you know someone that would love to come along and try, please pass this on.

This is a Free Event, but places are limited, so booking is essential!

Book your place by emailing the MCG Garden Coordinator Cheryl [email protected]
or phone 0414 348 404 to secure your place at the event. 

Click on the link below to get the flyer

​Chris Smyth the WA Coordinator for Community Gardens Australia was the MC for the day and he did a great job. Thank you Chris!

Update 2024: Chris has now retired from his voluntary role as WA Coodinator for Community Gardens Australia. We wish him all the best for his future endeavours.

How to make toothpaste
Peg will show you how to make homemade, environmentally friendly, safe toothpaste. Bring a small jar to take some home!

​RSVP Cheryl: [email protected] or phone 0414 348 404

On Saturday 23rd July from 10am to 1pm David De Vries will be holding a practical workshop teaching us how to make wicking beds out of different recycled materials to grow vegetables in a water saving way. As part of the workshop he will convert one of our new raised beds to a wicking bed.

Tickets cost $60 per person which can be purchased by clicking on the link from the button below.

Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) launches WiseGardening app to assist gardeners choose safer ways of dealing with pests, diseases and weeds.
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SGA has developed the WiseGardening app due to concerns about the risks of garden chemical products to humans and other life forms. Currently free to download, the WiseGardening app has been designed to help people protect their gardens from pests, diseases and weeds - without harming themselves or the planet. The app is the first of its kind in Australia and compares and rates over 850 products with a simple star system as well as suggesting non-chemical alternatives.
According to scientists Dr. Sharron Pfueller, CEO of the environmental non-profit SGA, and Dr. Colin Allison, “With the WiseGardening app, you don’t need a degree in horticulture or biochemistry to know if the spray you’re putting on your roses could be harming creatures apart from insects or fungi. Our assessment team has done the work for you; combing through product ingredient lists, packaging and mode of delivery and mapping these risks into the user-friendly app.
“Many products pose a risk to humans if they spill or ingest them or breathe in their vapours or aerosols. This is why we have looked at whether they contain ingredients with known carcinogenic properties, if they could affect people’s hormonal (endocrine) systems, or whether they may be genotoxic and contribute to DNA damage.
“We have also assessed products and their ingredients for the risk they pose to bees and other beneficial insects, birds, fish, aquatic organisms, frogs, and earthworms. In addition to this we have looked at how likely they are to end up in waterways after rain and how long they persist in the soil."
All products are given an easy-to-understand star rating and are periodically re-assessed to ensure any changes to formulations, packaging or active ingredients have been accounted for. The app also lists alternative, non-chemical options to help users make informed choices.
WiseGardening is the accumulation of more than six years work by SGA’s assessment team complete with the support of volunteers, donations and a grant from the Telematics Trust.
Currently free for users, the WiseGardening app is available to download at https://wisegardening.sgaonline.org.au

The information with the link about SGA's product checker has also been added to our page Pest Control