Cultivate News

Panania Free Rangers (PFR) has been running a “Green Club” during sport time since 2017. The program for years 7-10 has developed over the years to include market gardening, bush food trail, permaculture flower garden, frog pond tropical garden and Cumberland Plain regen project.

We have created a new therapeutic horticulture project database, and hope to build it into a useful national resource. Are you involved in a project you would like listed? Get in touch with us.

A groundbreaking new book that started its journey in 2011 as an initiative of Cultivate NSW.

Book Review by Sharon Moire-Lambert

What I loved about this book, is the experience sharing and affirmation of how gardening can impact ones life.

Certainly from little things big things grow.

A COMPANION PLANTING GUIDE TO HELP CREATE WELCOMING GARDENS, BY PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA.

Pete Wann and his wife creates a social Horticulture opportunity in their Newcastle neighbourhood.

Sue’s book is both inspirational and directive: providing an enjoyable and uplifting read and an encouraging professional perspective for those committed to expanding the role of therapeutic horticulture.

The draft Unit of Competency AHCTHH4XX Develop a therapeutic horticulture design brief has been created to be an elective in the new CIV Landscape Design, or in a CIV Horticulture.

Sharon Moore-Lambert shares her review of the book Tree Beings.

Sharon Moore-Lambert found this very interesting and recent abstract (Feb 2021), highlighting the mental and emotional effects of lockdowns and gardening in older people.

Our first workshop for 2020 - another great day.

The Hunter Hub kicked off the year with a get-together in February.

We were treated to fabulous sunny, almost spring day, for our AGM held at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney on August 24th.

This year has seen Cultivate run 5 very successful Intro to TH workshops in Sydney and Regional NSW!

Sharon Moore-Lambert shares her review of The Biophilia Effect

Cultivate NSW was represented at the Northern Beaches Council & NDIS Disability Expo on 25th September, 2019.

Another successful Cultivate workshop

On Saturday 25th May, we were treated to a fabulous talk by Nanthini Elamgovan, Deputy Director, in the Parks Division of the National Parks Board in Singapore.

A beautiful sunny day greeted us as we assembled at the wonderful urban farm that is Camperdown Commons for the first of a new series of one day sessions, Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture.

This week we pay tribute to Cultivate Member and past Committee Member Jeanette Penklis who sadly passed away on the 16th May, 2019.

On a bright, sunny April day a group of keen gardeners met on the roof of the Wayside Chapel for a a lesson or two in organic gardening and social and therapeutic horticulture.

"Green Healing" - Therapeutic Horticulture
Saturday April 6th, 2019

Panel Discussion: "Gardens as Therapy"
Tuesday April 3rd, 2019

2018 has been a good year with us doing what we do best by running great events. We welcome a new committee for 2019.

Meet Sharon - Cultivate Committee Member who works in the aged care and disability sectors.

Meet Jon - Cultivate Committee member and free range urban horticulturalist

Meet our Vice-President, Eleanor.

Meet Kath - she is a horticulturalist, landscape designer and teacher.

Meet Phil - Cultivate NSW Committee Member who loves being outdoors helping the community.

Meet Joanne Aquilina: Joanne is an energetic and enthusiastic industry champion. She has a particular passion for expanding awareness of the benefits of therapeutic, sensory, healing, edible and dementia gardens, especially for individuals with illness, disability and children with special needs.

Meet Jaq Dredge, one of our fabulous committee members. Jacquie (Jaq) is Co-Founder and Director of Panania Free Rangers, a not for profit organisation run by volunteers.