Garden Smart Workshops
These highly successfully workshops have been run by the REROC Waste Forum since 2007 with the aim of showing residents in the region how to use less water in their gardens and how to garden more sustainably.
The workshops are designed and delivered by well-known Riverina gardening personality Kerry Geale.
A range of topics are covered in the workshops including: composting, mulching, soil testing, irrigation systems, utilising worms in the garden, companion planting, water smart plants, alternatives to pesticides and elements of garden design.
REROC has produced promotional materials for the events, with each participant that attends a workshop receiving a non-woven recyclable bag, Garden Smart diary, pencil and further information on composting and being water smart. Participants also receive information on the Love Food Hate Waste program from the EPA.
The Garden Smart Diary includes tips on garden activities for each month, pages for notes and hints on how to make gardening practices more sustainable. Garden Smart Diaries are available by contacting the REROC office on 02 6931 9050 or via email mail@reroc.com.au
To date over 2,400 people have attended workshops throughout the REROC region. The workshops are organised locally by each of the REROC member councils in a variety of locations including libraries, town halls, community gardens, water wise gardens and private gardens.
A limited number of workshops are held in the REROC region each year, however in a deal negotiated with RAMROC Murray Regional Waste Group and RAMROC Riverina Waste Group the materials developed by REROC were used to run the same workshops across western Riverina and in the Murray region as well. Again Kerry Geale conducts these workshops which have been attended by hundreds of people.
Some comments from the evaluation forms at previous sessions:
“Well done, nice to see conducted locally”
“Thanks for bringing to Temora, please come again”
“Very informative, plenty of opportunities to ask questions”
“Moved along well and covered topics that were applicable to this area and seasonal conditions.”
“Kerry easy to listen to and talk to, was great”
“Great to have this in small country areas”
“Thank you – 2½ hours well spent”
