Climate and health seem to combine in the garden, being outdoors, hands in soil, healing for people, healing for place. As the project developed we increasingly realised the centrality of this kind of practical tending of a garden as one of the key actions that brings together climate and health. In building community and building skills around this idea, we’re building resiliency in a time of climate change. Finishing phase one of the project with this tour symbolises this significance and gives us a chance to gather in both of Armidale’s community gardens – the Aboriginal Community Garden and the Armidale Community Garden behind NERAM.
After Black Gully Festival fell through twice, we’re finishing the Armidale Climate and Health Project with a partnership with Armidale Aboriginal Community Garden, Armidale Community Garden and Sustainable Living Armidale on the Home Grown Garden Tour.
Here’s how it worked….
Community members bought tickets HERE and received a map of all the gardens. The weekend began with a Welcome to Country at the Armidale Aboriginal Community Garden on Saturday 26th February at 9.30am. Then, ticket holders started a ‘choose your own adventure’ garden tour by visiting the 8 gardens across morning (10 – 12.30pm) and afternoon (1.30 – 4pm) sessions over both Saturday and Sunday.
Watch a video about the gardeners here (filmed by Mike Terry): https://vimeo.com/716292218/a6bc5b03ad