THERE have been further additions to the community garden project outside the Council Chambers in New Norfolk.

Started 18 months ago, the project is seeing the existing garden and plant beds surrounding the building replaced by an edible garden, where community members will be able to forage and care for the produce grown.

Last Thursday saw the removal of rose beds on the northern side of the circle garden, which had struggled to thrive to make way for plants that would suit better.

Potatoes, wild pepper berry, bay leaves and blueberries will all be planted in the newly laid beds, growing from mulch that is collected from leaves and waste of the trees around Circle Street.

Mayor Ben Shaw, who with head gardener Sandra Whalan first suggested the idea, said it made the circle fresh, vibrant and was something that could add back into the community.

“We’ve had a small community garden running on the southern end of the roundabout for a little while now, but we thought we will complete the circle.”

“There are a lot of local residents that can benefit from the garden, if it is just a couple of someone cooking alone, and they only want a small amount of produce, they can come here and get it, rather than having to buy in bulk,” Ms Whalan said.

The community garden will also serve as a display of horticultural ingenuity, as the blend of vegetables, flowers and fruits will act as natural repellents from insects such as aphids.

The new additions to the garden will be growing in the near future, while the existing plantations around Circle Street are flourishing.