By Hayley Manning

THE DELORAINE Community Garden has been transformed into a flourishing communal space that would have celebrity garden gurus jumping up and down in their gumboots.

And now in their own ‘War on Waste’ the garden volunteers are using excess produce to make soup. This happens every Wednesday and you are more than welcome to join them.

When the Gazette visited, volunteers clutched warming mugs of hot pumpkin soup and engaged in conversation, which as Guidance Project Officer, Tanya King, noted ‘is really what it’s all about’.

Tanya has been coordinating the garden since March 2017, and provides the daily activities on a work board.

She also supervises the Giant Steps students who have been lending a hand for a few hours every Wednesday since February.

‘They just love it. They pick and weed,’ she said.

‘The students also taste the soup first, then go off around the garden to try to find the ingredients they think have been used to make it.’

Volunteer David Hudson said they follow the ‘Plot to Plate’ principle of growing produce, picking it and cooking it.

He said it would be great to get more volunteers and community involved in the garden to share ideas, tips, and different gardening styles.

‘Everyone has gardening knowledge – pruning, weeding, composting.’

David said future plans for the garden may involve advanced cooking demonstrations.

If you are interested in becoming a garden volunteer please contact Tanya King at communitygarden@delorainehouse.com.au.