Warners Bay Community Garden's one rule: pick a little, leave a lot

"Pick a little, leave a lot," convenor Trudy Patterson said.

That's the beauty of the two-acre community garden in Bunya Park. It's open and available to everyone and has helped to bring the community together.

The idea to set up the garden was first planted back in 2008.

"A young couple who lived in an apartment were missing access to soil," Ms Patterson said.

After a few years of jumping through bureaucratic hoops, the first stage was established in 2014 and a grand opening was held on November 1, 2015.

But it wasn't set up without objection. The garden was poisoned at the time of its grand opening.

"There was a lot of opposition," Ms Patterson said.

After that, the number of members began to slowly grow as the community embraced the project. The group now has more than 100 members.

And Ms Patterson said she had been surprised there had not been more trouble over the years.

"I thought dogs would be running through it. We expected a lot of vandalism and theft.

"But people have been so respectful. They love it.

"We haven't had any graffiti. We have the occasional theft, and while it's not acceptable, it's expected."

The space is now home to a huge variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs and scented flowers.

The group holds a working bee once a month to tend to the garden, which usually ends with a sausage sizzle.

The group also has big plans for the future.

They've installed two out of six wicking beds they were able to acquire with a $10,000 Hunter Water grant, and hope to one day build a central pergola with a pizza oven and barbecue, as well as wheelchair accessible pathways.

They also plan to eventually employ someone on a part time basis to run classes.

The COVID-19 pandemic hasn't slowed things down too much either.

Ms Patterson said when coronavirus struck, the group set up a roster to ensure the garden was still looked after.

"People were there everyday to help water and things," she said.

"They said it made such a difference to them to be able to get out and do it too."

The pandemic has had an impact on the group's capacity to raise funds however. Ms Patterson will open her backyard at 11 Charlton Street, Eleebana from 10am-4pm on October 24 as a fundraiser for the group.

"I've got a pretty nice garden too, if I do say so myself," she said.