Projects/Features
SUSTAINABILITY
The garden is based on organic and sustainable principles and there are many garden features that reflect this ideal.
These include a straw bale house that operates using solar energy.
Rainwater collected from the house is used within the garden.
The garden has a compostable toilet and suitable organic garden waste is composted for use within the garden.
BIODIVERSITY: B & B HIGHWAY
Planting Seeds: people, pollinators, plants
Planting Seeds Project fosters environmental sustainability to support biodiversity and cooling in urban and peri-urban environments.
B&B’s – ‘Bed and Breakfasts for Birds, Bees and Biodiversity’ – are in over 180 sites in three States – NSW, Queensland and Victoria – with B&Bs placed in schools, universities and community settings. An expansion to South Australia thanks to the support of the Penfolds Evermore program took place in late 2024/early 2025. The placing of B&Bs in clusters in nearby locations enables students and other participants to be part of a collaborative corridor. This supports local pollinators – many of which are threatened – searching for plants and habitats.
The Fern Avenue Community Garden and the Planting Seeds’ B&B Highway Initiative.
In 2024, Planting Seeds approached Alternative 3 Inc. to be one of five host sites in Adelaide. In October, the FACG Management Committee accepted the invitation, and planning began for the project to be carried out in Autumn 2025. The site was chosen for the B and B project with assistance from a member of the Planting Seeds team.
In 2025, work began in earnest. On three consecutive Sundays in late April/May, FACG volunteers worked with the Planting Seeds team to install wicking beds and plant native plants indigenous to our location in Fullarton. Planting Seeds also conducted a workshop about bio-diversity on each Sunday, so volunteers learned much about our native flora and fauna. A year later, the project is flourishing.
Learn more:
https://www.ps.org.au/about-us/our-mission
HERITAGE
The garden site is historically significant in the local area because it was the site of the Fullarton Jam Factory - an award winning company that operated until the early 1900's.
The wall on Windsor Street dates back to this era.
A persimmon tree on the site is believed to be the oldest living specimen of this tree in South Australia dating back to approximately 1860.
A fig tree on the site is more than 100 years old.
BEE HIVES
Any thriving garden is dependent on the activity of bees for the fertilization of fruit and vegetable flowers.
Fern Avenue Community Garden is fortunate to have two bee hives located on the site to assist with the productivity of the garden.
In 2025 and 2026, our European bees have been quarantined in order to protect them from Varroa Mite. Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is the most serious pest affecting honey bees worldwide. It remains a key threat to Australia’s honey and honey bee pollination plant industries.
NATIVE BEES
The Native Bee Hotel is a project of the Library of the City of Unley and was opened by Sophie Thomson (from the ABC Gardening Australia Program) in September 2019.
HERB GARDEN
A spectacular circular herb garden has been renovated and upgraded by garden members. The herbs are available for use by members of the Community Garden
POND PROJECT
In 2023, a garden member, Josh D'Ambrosio, took on a project to revitalise an existing pond area that was looking very tired. With the generous support of many local businesses, a magnificent new garden feature was completed,
