RBCG Garden Guidelines

A community garden is a single piece of land gardened collectively by a group of people – here is how we make this space work:

GARDEN AESTHETICS

RBCG is a community space. It is important that plots are maintained, that weeds and diseased plants are disposed of and that all of your items are kept within your plot.

ACCESS

Garden members can use the garden any time, but you will find more gardeners around on Sunday afternoons for communal gardening time and working bees. This is a great time to see what other people are doing, learn from them and share gardening tips.

WATERING

Please be mindful of water use and where possible avoid watering in the hottest part of the day.

Anytime you’re down at the garden, check the newly propagated seedlings and give them a misting spray if they need it.

The communal plots, the bank and the fruit trees may also need to be watered.

CREATING SOIL

Everyone will need to help collect both green and brown waste for composting. Plants need both nitrogen and carbon. ‘Green’ waste doesn’t actually need to be green, but is usually moist, high-nitrogen-content waste.  Brown waste is usually dry-content materials and very carbon rich.

We follow organic gardening principles so please avoid using any synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

GREEN WASTE

Green waste can be picked up from local businesses. Brought in from home, or collected from around the garden after pruning and plot clearing.

BROWN WASTE

Bring in dry leaves and grass clippings, shredded paper and cardboard, woody prunings and sawdust and shavings (but not from treated wood).

Brown waste is easily collected from the horse stables at the Equestrian Centre near Fox Studios. Take a fork or shovel and some bags. When you drive in to the Equestrian Centre follow the road around to the left until you see some big 240L sulo bins lined up in a row.  These bins are full of wood shavings, rice hulls, straw, horse manure and all sorts of great biodegradable brown waste.

Clean straw can be collected from Kensington Produce, 2 Meadow Way, Banksmeadow NSW 2019 (02) 9666 7755.  Take some bags with you and you can collect loose straw, hay, and lucerne.  They appreciate a small donation to go towards charity. (Call them first to check)

Check out our composting guidelines

THE TOOLS & THE SHED

The tools have been purchased through grants and are there for everyone to use.  Please look after our tools and clean them before returning them to the shed.  Please don’t take them home.

If you notice the shed floor is dirty, please feel free to sweep it out.

COMMUNAL PRODUCE

Fruits, veggies, herbs and flowers grown in the communal beds are for everyone to share but we always try to leave some produce for the next person.

SECURITY

The codes for the gates are to be kept confidential and not shared with non-members.  If you are the last one in the garden, make sure that all locks are secured, including the shed lock.  Please let us know if there has been any disturbance in the garden.  Guests are allowed in the garden only if accompanied by a garden member.

CAR PARKING

Short-term parking is available adjacent to the garden for dropping off loads.  Please do not block the roadway as it is use by Woollahra Council, Sydney Water, and golf course staff.

DOGS

Dogs need to be tied by the gate next to the shed at the Puppy Parking area whilst members are in the garden however they are not allowed off-leash (even when other garden members are not in the garden).

SMOKING

Smoking within the garden is not allowed.