DOWN IN THE GARDEN: The Central Coast Edible Garden Trail

Edible Garden Trails are a joyful event that help gardeners showcase their techniques, passions and skills while opening the way for budding and more experienced gardeners to find inspiration, knowledge, and friendship.

Usually held over a weekend in warmer weather, they are a relatively new and expanded form of the older ‘Open Garden’ format that instead focuses on growing your own food.

The emphasis is also on organic agricultural methods and often includes permaculture and sustainable practices.

These self-guided trails enable visitors to explore a variety of gardens, in different sizes, created by gardeners with various interests and levels of experience over a short period of time.

This gives the visitors an abundance of first-hand local knowledge that I’m not sure could be gained elsewhere in such a fun and engaging manner.

Plus, Edible Garden Trails are fun!

There is nothing quite like the vibe of these trails that are springing up not only here in Australia, but now around the world.

In 2018, Susanne Rixs, a life-long gardener who is passionate about homegrown organic food got 30 of her neighbours together in the Blue Mountains to open their edible gardens to the public.

You can find out more at: Ediblegardentrail.com

Her vision was for this event to grow, “I’m hoping this will become a global phenomenon with people all over the world opening their gardens not just for show, but for sharing intelligent, thoughtful, sustainable food production techniques.” That wish is being granted with the Sydney Edible Garden Trail beginning soon after contemporary artist and permaculture devotee Bridget Kennedy visited the inaugural Blue Mountains Trail.

Bridget was looking for a way to create an annual fundraising garden trail to promote sustainable living and growing your own food. Now also a successful trail, this year the Sydney Edible Garden Trail is on the weekend of 4th and 5th November 2023 Vist: sydneyedible gardentrail.com for more.

The Central Coast Edible Garden Trail Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd October 2023

Last year more than 650 visitors joined the inaugural Central Coast Edible Garden Trail comprising of 37 locations that included home gardens and community gardens covering much of The Coastfrom Killcare to Gwandalan, out to Jilliby, Wyong and Watanobbi.

Local Permaculturalists Anna Trigg and Sandi Eyles came together to create and manage our local trail to highlight Central Coast food gardeners who are working with the earth and sustainability.

Like all Edible Food Trails, the Central Coast Food Trail is a ticketed event run as a not-forprofit organisation.

Gardening Planner

Get in there and give composts an extra turn or two during this colder weather to help it break down a bit quicker. It’s also the best month to prune your long-flowering roses. You can plant the following now: culinary herbs, artichoke suckers, asparagus crowns, beetroot, broad beans, cabbages, carrots, cress, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onions, parsnip, peas, potatoes, rhubarb crowns, silverbeet, African marigold, delphinium, dianthus, English daisy, gloxinia, gypsophilia, mignonette, spider flower, statice.

WHAT’S ON FOR PLANT & NATURE LOVERS

The Fungal Kingdom with Anna Durkin, 8th July 1:30pm for 2pm start, Philip House, 21 Old Penang Road, Kariong

The July meeting of the Australian Plants Society Central Coast Anna will share her work as a Citizen Scientist in this field, educating us with her skill and knowledge and answering our questions about the fungal kingdom of the Sydney region. Entry: $3 with lucky door prizes. Austplants.com.au/Central-Coast-Events for more details

Rachel’s Farm Special Screening, Avoca Theatre, 27th July Burbank at Saddles, Mt. White, 1pm, Sunday 2nd July

Be one of the first to see Rachels Farm at our special Q&A screening with Rachel Ward, Maree Lowes and Cheralyn Darcey.

In this triumphant film, Rachel voyages from wilful ignorance about the ecological impacts of conventional agriculture on her own rural property, to embracing a movement to restore the health of Australia’s farmland, food and climate.

Tickets from Avoca Theatre: avocabeachtheatre.com.au

“We have been quite excited that we raised a lot of money from ticket sales, and it was much more than we expected from our first year and so it meant that we could donate a whole lot of money back to the community.” organiser Anna Trigg said. $400 was donated to each Community Garden across the Coast and money was also allocated to fund a hugely successful community outreach program designed by Sue Bradley of In8lygood and SWAMP Central Coast that brought together fifteen organisations across The Coast including You Connect, Options Disability, Synergy Permaculture and Permaculture Central Coast. The program educated those living with disability to learn gardening in nine Central Coast community gardens with facilitators Kerrie Anderson and Matt Silavant. So, what was the biggest take away from the inaugural Central Coast Edible Garden Trail?

Sandi Elyes, trail organiser said, “It’s so lovely to help build community.

We met so many amazing gardeners and visitors who helped create this beautiful warm and joyous community.” Both Anna and Sandi agreed that the event helped reinvigorate the permaculture and general gardening community on The Central Coast as well.

To keep updated on Central Coast Edible Garden Trail happenings, hop on over to their website: centralcoast ediblegardentrail.org.au or facebook.com/CentralCoast EdibleGardenTrail

Along with lots more special features to be announced, Coastfm963, the official media partner of The Central Coast Garden Trail will have popular local home and garden program ‘Home with the Gardening Gang’ with me, your gardening writer Cheralyn Darcey and co-host Pete Little broadcasting live on the Saturday from one of the gardens.

Register Your Garden for the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail

The Central Coast Edible Garden Trail is looking for more gardens!

Would you and your garden like to be on the Trail?

It’s a wonderfully welcoming community of Central Coast gardeners who have a passion for sharing their experiences and love of all things botanical. Any sized garden, as long as it’s organic, and all skill levels are welcome, and you don’t have to be open both days, you can if you are keen but one day is ok with the team.

The Edible Garden Trail is not competitive, it’s about sharing time, thoughts, and the love of plants.

If you want to know more email ediblegardentrail@ permaculturecc.org.au

Exploring Edible Garden Trails

While the following is my experience with the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail, much of my tips are relevant to other such trails as well. With the Central Coast being so vast in area, planning is of essence for trail explorers.

The organisers make it easy with maps being given to ticket holders in advance along with opening days and hours. The first thing to be aware of is that some gardens are open both days of the event while others only for one, so take that into careful account.

Short descriptions of each garden are given, and they are highlighted in the weeks leading up to the event on social media.

Make a note of techniques and plants that you want to see but also make sure you include visits to gardens similar in size and environment to yours.

With the Central Coast having so many different microclimates, from blustery seaside to frosty mountains, on to rich valleys and urban hot-zones, what can work in one area here might not in another.

To experience ways in which gardeners in conditions very similar to yours are doing to tackle challenges is an opportunity too good to pass up.