Garden News

Lyttleton Stores has always endeavoured to be a space first and foremost for community, and our gardens are no exception. In fact, we are committed to transforming our gardens into a true community space, open for all to share and enjoy! And so we have been hard at work, reinvigorating our gardens to create a space worthy of our community. This wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated efforts of our volunteers, and of everyone who has attended our Monthly Garden Working Bees, which continue to be held on the 4th Sunday of each month, 1:30 to 4:30 pm - That’s Sunday 23 July this month!

Fun in our children’s Mud Kitchen - Jasmin Lace

Earlier this year Lyttleton Community Co-op received grant funding from the state government Community Building Partnership scheme. This has paid for a garden shed large enough to double as a small workshop space for gardening and other related workshops. Preparation for the shed has been undertaken by the enthusiastic garden working bee team and other lovely volunteers. This included clearing a space for the shed in the garden and deciding on flooring for the shed. Hopefully both will be finished over the next few months!

Meanwhile, as the remainder of the grant allowed for the purchase and installation of a rainwater tank for the “Lyttleton Garden” on Badgery Crescent, more work has been done by members of the team. The space has been cleared in readiness for a new corrugated iron slimline tank to be installed later this year, for watering the vegetables and edible flowers that will be grown in Spring and beyond.

Erst and Sid get a feel for the lay of the land

Both are long awaited and exciting developments for Lyttleton Co-op which has had as an aim from its inception regenerative food production on site. It will provide opportunities for community members to learn about growing their own food through workshops as we face an increasingly uncertain future. The workshops will be open to all members of the community and accessible entry will be provided. 

There will also be opportunities for community connection through seed sharing, exchange of excess produce, either with others or through the co-op, as has previously been available at the co-op. These practices are in keeping with a not-for-profit co-operative and the concept of a gift economy – local sharing, not adding to the profits of the wealthy few.

Our growing seed library - Jasmin Lace