On Wednesday 10th October, Glenorchy Mayor, Adriana Taylor, officially opened the Tolosa Community Garden and Native Nursery being established in Tolosa Park. The first stage of the garden, designed by Julie Stoneman, has been planted with Tasmanian native plants.

The official opening of the native community garden by the Mayor Adriana Taylor and David Treanor, from Life Without Barriers.

Photo: a pond that fills with water run off, from the nursery, already has some resident frogs.

Photo: gravel paths, yet to be paved, wend their way down the sloping site.

Work at the garden and accompanying nursery has been accomplished by a Green Corps team, TAFE students, Life Without Barriers (formerly Kalista) and many volunteers working with Steve Shaw. Timber seats and tables have been built and are scattered around the garden. Less formal seating can be found on large logs placed among the new plants.

Steve oversees and coordinates a diverse range of activities, from washing pots to supervising earth moving machinery, propagating, plumbing, building, planting, weeding and wheelbarrowing load after load of gravel and mulch around the site to mention just a few.

nitially, the nursery plants provided food for the local possum population, but the nursery has now been completely "possum proofed" and it is a delight to see chewed Callistemon, Disphyma and Eucalypts putting on substantial spring growth.

The garden and nursery site as it appeared in October 2006.

If you haven't yet visited Tolosa Community Garden and Nursery we would love you to drop in. The nursery is open most Mondays and Tuesdays, but the garden is accessible every day of the week. Just head toward the mountain and you will find us at the western end of Tolosa Park.

The nursery needs volunteers to assist with a variety of tasks so if you have some spare time contact Ruth for details about tasks and times.