Glen Park Oaks Community Garden

Glen Park Oaks Community Garden Volunteer gardeners meet every Saturday morning at Glen Park Oaks Community Garden between 10:00-12:00 for working bees.

Welcome to Glen Park Oaks Community Garden – your local space to grow, connect, and learn! 🌿
Proudly owned and overseen by Maroondah City Council, and lovingly cared for by volunteers of all ages. 🌱 A community garden owned and overseen by Maroondah City Council that is maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers.🌳

Located at 30 Glen Park Road
Bayswater North. Anyone is welcome to pop down and join in. On the first Saturday of every month a Permaculture Swap is held at 10:00 offering the opportunity to swap excess produce, plants, seeds or equipment. We welcome everyone whether or not they have something to swap as it's a great opportunity to meet like minded people over a cuppa. Workshops are held regularly so keep an eye on our facebook feed or events page for details of these. The Glen Park Oaks Community Garden does not operate on an individual ‘plot’ basis. Instead it is a shared communal space for gardening, interacting and learning. Owned and managed by Maroondah City Council, its aim is to focus on, and share, the benefits provided by gardening – where the harvest is just an added bonus! If you would like to be a volunteer with the garden, please apply online via the following link https://response.maroondah.vic.gov.au/s/5C5F6C5B18514B5E992280373DC6BAC1
or contact Maroondah City Council’s Community Development team on 1300 88 22 33 or 9298 4598.

The company was unmoved by the close proximity of the volunteer. Photo credit: Elia C
09/09/2026

The company was unmoved by the close proximity of the volunteer.
Photo credit: Elia C

The Art of effortless gardening.If you have ever had a cheeky nasturtium or kale plant pop up in your garden or compost ...
09/09/2026

The Art of effortless gardening.

If you have ever had a cheeky nasturtium or kale plant pop up in your garden or compost unexpectantly without as much as a by-your-leave (like we've had at the gardens), you may have already considered that there is a more effortless way to grow your own fruit, herbs, legumes, seeds and vegetables.

Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer, defined this way of growing your own food as, "do-nothing farming". Fukuoka was a trained microbiologist and agricultural scientist but abandoned his career after having a profound spiritual experience which transformed his entire way of looking at the world but especially in relation to how he grew food.

He began experimenting with many new ideas on his farm for how to grow food effortlessly by observing and following natures principles. The outcome was what we now call today, no-till farming.

Fukuoka was the author of several books, scientific papers and other publications but he was more popularly and more widely known for his simple book called, "The One Straw Revolution". (You can do an internet search and find a free pdf version of it)

So if you are a beginner to growing food in the garden, or you just want to grow without the effort, you can plant seeds directly into, or on top of the soil, either in the ground, or into raised beds.

Forget about having to constantly watch over the seedlings you've germinated for the next season - the worry about seedlings getting enough light and warmth, or overwatering or underwatering, or whatever it is that creates problems for seedlings; it's a thing of the past. With just minimal effort, a little watering to keep the soil moist, and a soil temperature check, you will have the following seeds germinating in your garden (VICTORIA) toot sweet:

Arugula
Beetroot (they love to grow together in bunches)
Calendula (Companion plant and medicinal flower)
Carrots
Cosmos (Companion plant)
Basil
Borage (Companion plant and edible flower - omega 3 and 6)
Beans
Cauliflower
Chicory
Chives
Coriander
Corn
Cucumbers
Collards
Dill
Endive
Fava beans
Flaxseeds
Garlic
Gourds
Kale
Kohlrabi
Landcress (for pest control)
Lettuce
Luffa
Marigolds (Companion plant)
Mint
Okra
Onions
Parsley
Peas (give them something to climb like a trellis)
Peanuts
Petunias (companion plant)
Potatoes
Pumpkin (Put them on a sturdy trellis like rebar if you have a small garden because they grow best when hanging anyway)
Radicchio
Radish (They love to grow closely together so sow the seeds as close as you like and thin if necessary)
Rutabagas
Rocket
Rock melon
Savory
Squash
Soybeans
Snapdragons (Companion plant)
Sunflowers
Silverbeet
Spinach
Shallots
Tomatoes (Only after the last frosts have finished and if you think the summer season will be long)
Tarragon
Turnip
Watermelon
Zucchini
Zinnias (Companion plant)

*The only thing you really need to ensure is that the soil in your garden is warm enough for certain seeds. For example pumpkins, in order to germinate, like a soil temperature to be at a minimum of 18°C to 21°C.

👉A handy tip for sowing tiny seeds like lettuce:

Add seeds to a small container with a lid and add a couple of tablespoons of sand. Put the lid on and give it a shake. Sprinkle the sand/seed mixture on soil and try to sprinkle evenly. This will show you where you've spread them. Cover with a thin layer of soil.

You can also purchase seed tapes where the seed is already impregnated into the tape. Plant the seed tape in rows and then cover with a thin amount of soil.

🍂The following fruit trees thrive on neglect:
Olive trees
Figs
Pomegranate
Mulberry
Jujubes

✍️An anecdotal story about the hardiness of the Mulberry tree.
Just up the road from where the author used to live, there was a huge mulberry tree on a block of vacant land. It was so huge that you could really only ever reach the lower branches. Every year it was the same, the mulberry tree produced a ton of fruit but only the native parrots got to eat it.
One stormy night, that ancient tree fell and as it fell, it split into two. The whole village heard it. Most of it's roots were torn out of the ground. As it lay on the ground, one half died but the other half continued to live on.
It was a hot, dry summer but the living half continued to produce juicy, run-down-your-chin fruit. Everyone who visited it had their fill and then some. When it was finally taken away the following winter to clear the land for building, it still had green leaves growing on it's branches.

Hi folks,Our monthly food swap is taking place this Saturday on the 5th of September from 10.00am - 12.00pm at the Glen ...
01/09/2026

Hi folks,

Our monthly food swap is taking place this Saturday on the 5th of September from 10.00am - 12.00pm at the Glen Park Oaks Community Gardens.

Address: 30 Glen Park Road, Bayswater North

Bring anything from the garden you have an excess of that you would like to swap: Seeds, seedlings, plants, gardening tools etc.

Photo: Earthworms in the active compost pile

If you don't have anything to swap, you can still come and visit the gardens for spring has awakened all the beauty and goodness nature has to offer. 😍

26/08/2026

One of our majestic eucalypts fell down in the last heavy rainfalls. Thankfully, the council were onto it straight away.
And now due to volunteer efforts, that beautiful tree which has offered so much beauty and grace with it's presence has the opportunity for another life in the gardens as mulch for the orchard.

According to the Royal Horticultural Society in the U.K, one of the best leaves for conditioning the soil is the oak tre...
19/08/2026

According to the Royal Horticultural Society in the U.K, one of the best leaves for conditioning the soil is the oak tree leaf. Leaf mould is formed by decaying leaves. It creates a soil rich in humus which can be added to composts, used to retain moisture in the soil and for conditioning the soil of your veggie garden beds.

The process of creating leaf mould begins with a fungi designed perfectly for decomposing leaves. It's called saprotrophic fungi. Saprotrophic fungi is the recycler of the forests and it is also responsible for the decomposition of wood.

What is highly noteworthy in itself is, leaf mould contains twice the amount of minerals of manure.

Whoever originally planted the mighty oak tree located just outside the gate to the Glen Park Community Gardens must have had the wisdom and the knowledge to understand that this years leaves will become next year's high quality soil.

Whilst oak leaves do contain a high tannin and lignin content and are acidic to begin with, they soon lose their acidity once the Saprotrophic fungi starts working on the leaves.

Oak trees are highly dependent on mycorrhizal fungi for a healthy root system. After heavy rainfall, almost all healthy oak trees will have a flush of mushrooms under them. If you collect the mushrooms and crumble them onto your leaves, they will be well inoculated with fungi and this will also speed up the process of creating leaf mould.

If you don't have access to Oak tree leaves, any decomposed leaves will be highly beneficial to your garden.

How to create leaf mould.🍂

Create an open bin or use a compost bin for your leaves. Let them sit for a year undisturbed, or until they have fully decomposed. At the garden, we are using a wire bin which is open at both ends and secured with two wooden stakes .
Photo: Open wire bin holding oak leaves (stakes not shown here)

Gardening quote of the day:“A w**d is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
19/08/2026

Gardening quote of the day:

“A w**d is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

You know you are passionate about gardening and plants when...🌱You wake up, the first thing you check is the BOM radar a...
19/08/2026

You know you are passionate about gardening and plants when...

🌱You wake up, the first thing you check is the BOM radar and weather conditons for the day.
🌱The garden takes priority over household chores.
🌱All your clothes eventually become gardening clothes.
🌱Gardening takes priority over social engagements.
🌱Social outings consist of visiting nurseries, community gardens, botanical gardens and nature.
🌱You spend winter months plotting and planning warm season planting and it's all on an excel spreadsheet.
🌱You treat soil as if it is the only currency worth valuing.
🌱You have an inside greenhouse for tropical and hard to propagate plants and anything else requiring attention.
🌱The inside of your home looks like a green jungle and watering on a weekly basis is a chore you actually enjoy doing.
🌱You can't possibly plant anything more in the garden but you still manage to find a spot anyway.
🌱Your shed and garage is full of gardening tools and the next gardening project.
🌱You handle and store your tools with a reverence only exceeded by nurturing and nourishing the seedlings you have on the warming mats.
🌱When planning to build a house, the dream wish list is the greenhouse, an outside cleaning sink for the veggies, a forest garden and indoor irrigation for your plants.
🌱When cutting up any vegetable or fruit to eat with a seed in it, the priority becomes all about processing the seed and questions around how you are going to dry it only to realise that you forgot about the cooking.
🌱When visiting a garden for the first time or wandering around the neighbourhood, you are already wondering if you can ask the owner for a cutting of a plant you don't already have in your garden.
🌱You have too many seeds and seedlings to plant every season.
🌱All your friends know to give you plants as gifts.
🌱All your friends only ever receive plants as gifts.
🌱You wake up in the middle of the night with fresh new insights and ideas for how to plant something.
🌱You go on regular snail locating missions with your torch at night.
🌱Seed catalogues are your preferred reading material.
🌱You would rather spend your money on seeds than new underwear.
🌱Despite using a nail scrubbing brush, your fingernails are permanently stained with dirt.
🌱Every available window sill in the house is packed with seedlings and plants.
🌱People are dreaming of buying new technology like fitbits but you are dreaming about dense planting and how many compost bins you can possibly manage.
🌱People stop to admire your garden and you invite them into the garden for a tour.
🌱You walk outside your front door only to find friends and neighbours wandering around, or sitting on your garden bench because it's so peaceful.
🌱You carry your secaturs, garden bags and garden gloves everywhere, just in case...
🌱Every pile of fallen leaves is an opportunity to pick up to be composted.

Photo: yellow poppy in the community gardens

The new moon phase begins tomorrow and it's the ideal time to plant:👉Asparagus👉Cabbage👉Endive👉Kale👉Lettuce👉Mustard green...
12/08/2026

The new moon phase begins tomorrow and it's the ideal time to plant:
👉Asparagus
👉Cabbage
👉Endive
👉Kale
👉Lettuce
👉Mustard greens
👉Rhubarb Crowns
👉Spinach
👉Silverbeet
👉Spring Onions
and to relay plant (sowing rows of seeds at regular intervals) of coriander, rocket and mizuna for a regular supply.

Photo credit: Karin K.Herb of the month.It is well worth being able to highlight one herb each month when there are so m...
11/08/2026

Photo credit: Karin K.

Herb of the month.

It is well worth being able to highlight one herb each month when there are so many ancient, beneficial plants dotted throughout the community gardens.

Right now, the Calendula plant is in full bloom.

It's little wonder this glorious plant is nicknamed the King of Herbs because in addition to it being a beneficial pollinator and trap crop, it's soft and gentle healing properties make it an excellent and safe choice for external use when applied to skin.

You can apply Calendula as a poultice to wounds, rashes, cuts and burns. Additionally, it is good for insect bites and relieving the itch from dermatitis and eczema. It contains anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties making it an all-rounder herb.

It's easy to make a calendula poultice and here's how:

Steep 1-2 tablespoons of fresh or dried flowers in 1 cup of boiling water for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and soak a cloth in it. Wring out any excess liquid and apply directly to the affected area for 15 minutes. This can be repeated as many times as necessary.

Continuing the celebration of the humble cabbage, here is a recipe for Sauerkraut. Please read the entire recipe for saf...
03/08/2026

Continuing the celebration of the humble cabbage, here is a recipe for Sauerkraut.
Please read the entire recipe for safety guidelines.

There are many recipes that have been handed down over the years for successfully making Sauerkraut whether it's a family recipe or written in books or published on the internet but this is a tried and true recipe and the most effortless of all recipes to make.

Because you weigh the ingredients, it makes the process accurate and...
it takes all the guessing out of how much cabbage you actually need vs how much salt.

The ratio is 10 grams of salt for every 500 grams of cabbage.

Equipment required:
🌱Fermentation jar with a lid - must be glass or ceramic.
🌱Weights for holding the sauerkraut down in it's juices - aiding with the fermentation process.
🌱Scales

Ingredients:
🌱Cabbage
🌱Cabbage leaves
🌱Salt

Method:

Cut out the fibrous heart of the cabbage and set it aside for use in another recipe. Weigh your cabbage and your salt. Set the salt aside for later use.

Shred or cut your cabbage as finely as you please. We like our cabbage a little bit on the chunky side but if you like your cabbage finely shredded, you can use a food processor or alternatively, you can buy cabbage slicers from any Japanese supermarket/speciality store. The Japanese love cabbage and finely shred their cabbage for dishes such as Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes).

For demonstration purposes and to show how much a fermentation jar can hold, the author has used 500 grams of cabbage to 10 grams of salt in a 2 Litre jar.

If you are making larger batches of Sauerkraut, it is best to salt the cabbage in batches.

Massage the cabbage with your hands in a large bowl until the salt is well mixed into the cabbage.

Set the cabbage and salt mix aside for 30 minutes so that it can soften. Juice from the cabbage is created when the cabbage is brined. You will want to use the juice to ferment the cabbage in.
Once the cabbage has softened and a liquid has formed, add the cabbage to the fermentation jar and then add the juice.
Place a cabbage leaf over the top of the sauerkraut and press down firmly.
Adding a weight to the cabbage leaf is not strictly necessary but very helpful because it keeps the contents submerged in brine. The issue can be that any cabbage above the surface of the liquid can develop mould.
I've made sauerkraut in this fermentation jar successfully without using any weights, just ensure that your cabbage is below the liquid. I use glass lids as weights but you can buy fermentation weights or if you have a wide mouthed jar, you can use a small plate with a small glass jar filled with water.

Place the sauerkraut in a dark cupboard for 3 weeks. If you don't have a fermentation jar with a built-in burper, you can use any jars with a lid, however, you must remember to burp the sauerkraut daily, otherwise, the fermenting fluid may spill out of the jar. Some people like to place a saucer or a plate underneath the jar as added insurance.

If you are new to creating sauerkraut, here are a few safety guidelines.

If your sauerkraut develops a flat, white cream-coloured film, it is safe. Simply remove it and ensure the cabbage remains fully submerged under the brine.
If the white growth is fuzzy or 3D, discard the entire batch.
Threshold for Tossing: Even if the mould is white, if it covers more than 10% of the surface, it is generally recommended to throw the kraut away to avoid health risks.
Other Colours: Any mould that is pink, blue, green, or black is always unsafe and requires discarding the whole batch.
Happy sauerkrauting!

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Bayswater North, VIC

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