BELLARINE local Chris Edwards was homeless with her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and her cat when she moved into public housing. <\/p>\n
Living in public housing for 30 years, the avid gardener has transformed her yard into an award-winning space. <\/p>\n
Each year, the Victoria Gardens in Bloom awards recognise the work of gardening enthusiasts living in public or community housing. <\/p>\n
Ms Edwards was encouraged to enter the awards by her public housing officer and has taken out three state awards for a sustainable garden with her eyes set on the overall state award. <\/p>\n
Her garden is home to a range of wildlife including bees, wrens and possums while growing all organic, pesticide and herbicide free flowers and produce. <\/p>\n
“It’s an interesting mix, I’m always growing vegetables and it’s based on a permaculture and organic gardening principles, so it’s not a classically organised garden,” she said. <\/p>\n
“It’s covered under a gardens for wildlife which is a venture between the local council and the local environmental group, who come for a two-hour assessment and when they came, they loved it. <\/p>\n
“From that point of view, it’s a habitat, I’ve got skinks in among the mulch and I’ve got a frog habitat, I’ve got little water dishes all over the place, different sizes.” <\/p>\n
For Ms Edwards, her garden is a place where she can sit and be still, watching on as the wildlife move around the space. <\/p>\n
“That sense of connection with nature is really good for one’s mental health, my garden is one of my <\/p>\n
happy places. <\/p>\n
“I love growing things from seed, I have seeds that I’ve collected, particularly in the vegetable area from previous seasons and I replant those the following season. <\/p>\n
“There’s a great deal of satisfaction from growing things and that’s something else I can do when I’m not capable of doing the heavier things.” <\/p>\n
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