Community Gardens
Gareth Austin
Gareth is a passionate CommunityGarden Supporter, changing the land use to a more productive, sustainable model involving stake-holders, councils, residents, schools, community groups etc etc. Gareth offers mentoring services to community groups, training, co-ordination, and project managemet on all aspects of Horticulture in the Community. From container planting workshops, education projects, community plantings projects, biodiversity areas, show pieces and involving everyone from Society, Gareth is a tremendous motivator and his passion for Horticulture is infectious and with his involvement Community Gardens succeed. Gareth is also available as a gardening feature writer, garden design and garden consultations.
Of course, I am a very public person, using my role to attract people into Horticulture, however many of my clients appreciate their privacy, so here you will find projects which groups/people are happy to be in the public domain, however these are only a small snippet of the services I offer!!
What the Papers Say
Of course, I am a very public person, using my role to attract people into Horticulture, however many of my clients appreciate their privacy, so here you will find projects which groups/people are happy to be in the public domain, however these are only a small snippet of the services I offer!!
What the Papers Say
Multi-generational
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Community Ownership
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Community Events
Gareth pictured at the Surestart Edenballymore St Patricks day Spud Planting promotion
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Ionad Niamh Padraig
Gareth is currently delivering a FETAC5 Major award in Horticulture in Ionad Niamh Padraig in Gweedore, Donegal.
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Community Gardens
Groups working with Gareth are ensured of a productive and enjoyable space...like this in Lifford - see more community gardens here
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Cross-Community
Horticulture is a great way of bringing different communities together...like here Fountain PS and Blighs Lane Nursery at a Scarecrow swap..see here
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Cedar Foundation
Gareths offers a range of gardening events to suit all abilities, and you reap what you sow!
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Restaurant Gardens
In 2011 Gareth worked with Donal Doherty from Harrys Restaurant on starting the restoration of a Victorian Walled Garden in Donegal
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Park Communitygarden
Gareth has been offering support on an on-going basis to Learmount Comm Assoc who are the driving force there
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Laneways 4 Community
Taking anti-social laneways and turning them into productive communitygardens is something Gareth is passionate about - lots from Leafair here
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Twin Towns
Since their opening Gareth has been offering support and continual training at the Twin Towns CommunityGarden Space in Ballybofey, ensuring that this is one of the most productive HSE gardens around!- see here for our Grow it Cook it event
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Gillespie GIY
Working with Gillespie Polytunnels Gareth offers specialist Polytunnel focussed Grow-your-classes. see here for features using polytunnels
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Clooney Centre
Gareth has recently been working with the Clooney Community Centre on a series of programs
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Browns Restaurant
Gareth works closely with the Chef voted the best in County Derry for the past 4 years, Ulsters best Chef 2014 Ian Orr, described as a 'personal gardener' Gareth ensures Ian has the freshest local seasonal produce available at all times.
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Housing Executive
Gareth works closely with Housing Executive on a number of Enviromental and Horticultural programmes, including planting over 8000 daffodil bulbs with 16 community groups and schools in 2011
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Community Gardens
In 2011 Gareth worked with the holy Family Mens Health Group to create a new CommunityGarden in Ballymagroarty. Gareth supports this group where possible with advice, training and mentoring.
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Community Gardens
Working with Brandywell Bogside Health Forum Gareth offered support and training to help establish the succesful Westway CommunityGarden in Creggan
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Community Gardens
Another great project developed by Brandywell Bogside Health Forum, Gareth offered support and training on the establishment of the Gasyard CommunityGarden
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Herbs on our Kerbs
Gareth works with communities to provide ready-access to nutritous produce, and what better place to start with than fresh herbs?
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Guerilla Gardening
Working with residents to improve forgotten about strips of land to the benefit of the community
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Cross Community
Promoting co-operation with cross community projects like the new GuildHall Gardens space beside Derrys Guildhall.
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Seasonal Workshops
Gareth here with trainee Chefs from Austins on the Diamond linking produce to menu
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Guerilla Gardening
Improving more pockets of land with residents, here offering support to Bronagh and other in the Glen
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Horticulture Lecturing
Gareth is a regular within the North West Regional College School of Crafts, leacturing on Hard Landscaping, Soft Landscaping, Horticulture and general Gardening
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Foraging trips
every month we organise foraging trips to explore 'Food for Free'....this year we've done Elderberry flowers, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Burdock, Blackberries, Rosehips, Mushrooms, Elderberries, Sorrel....the list goes on...
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LFHW Ambassador
Gareth is proud to be a Love Food Hate Waste Ambassador for Northern Ireland. For more on LFHW check out the Love Food Hate Waste Website
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Special events
Here Gareth giving a special Volunteering Action Day Presentation in the Playtrail. Gareth continually donates his time to projects in Derry and Donegal Volunteering, Now why don't you get involved too??
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Trinity House
Working with residents and users of Trinity House, Newtowncunningham. planting nostalgia and heritage flowers and vegetables
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NLN
Gareth delivers FETAC5 Horticulture through the National Learning Network in Donegal
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Things for everyone..
Gareth is a keen supporter of the Buncrana Tidy Towns and helps to judge the 'Best Kept Garden' competition every year...
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Field 2 Fork message
Exploring food production and the local food message....see here for our tour of Broighter Gold Rapeseed farm in Limavady...
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Open Farm Weekend
Gareth is a supporter of the Open Farm Weekend, expanding the Field 2 Fork message
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Promoting great products
Gareth is a big fan of the Symbio range of Mycorrhizzal fungii, he uses these in all his growing
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North West Garden Show
Gareth is a supporter of the Northwest Garden Show
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Defensive Planting
Newly developed leaflet and presentation on Defensive Planting, Natures way to beat the burgler
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Hillsborough Show
Gareth is a regular at the Airtricity Garden Show
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EWWR
Gareth ran a series of events for European Week for Waste Reduction, to which we won 8 commendations
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City of Culture
Gareth has developed a program of events for the City of Culture year, entitled City of Horti-Culture 2013
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Living Heritage
Working with Irish Food Heritage Project and Glens of Antrim Potatoes on a super project involving the Long lost Lumper potato
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Faughan Valley
Facilitating for the Faughan Valley Landscape Partnership on foraging, woodland walks, education and more
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Kia Brand Ambassador
Gareth is a brand ambassador for Todds of Campsie, Kia in Derry-Londonderry. This link up partners green motoring with green living, #ecomobile
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Gardening Express
Gareth is a regular contributor to the Gardening Express website
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Wheelbarrow Booster
Gareth is a big fan of this innovative produce, the great Wheelbarrow Booster...check it out
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Seamungus!
Gareth regularly uses Seamungus Fertiliser in his gardening work
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SeedParade seeds
Gareth sources the majority of his seeds from Seed Parade
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