Connect and Learn - David & Ilka's Virtual Garden Insights

Connect and Learn + Share Table

Virtual Garden Insights - presented by David Collins & Ilka Seibel

Monday 17 June 2024

6.30 pm - 8.30 pm

Attend in person or via Zoom

Join us at Level 3 Meeting Rooms, Toowoomba City Library, Corner of Herries and Victoria Streets, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, or attend online.  We'll send you the Zoom link once you book.

This is the monthly Connect and Learn evening for Permaculture Toowoomba Inc.

Bookings are Essential

Bookings are essential so we have contact details and know how many will be attending.

What We'll Do

6.30 pm - Learn - Virtual Garden Insights

Presented by David Collins and Ilka Seibel

We like to visit a range of different gardens, each as unique as the gardeners who live there. It’s wonderful to see the diverse garden styles, approaches, and plants that can be grown in our bioregion.

So this month David Collins and Ilka Seibel will take us on a virtual tour of their newly created small urban garden.

What We'll See

This garden is a quiet retreat for family, friends and Fergus.  We'll be taken on a photographic tour as David and Ilka highlight the evolving design of their garden and tell us about everything they've planted, grown, and constructed (mostly using found and recycled materials) to create a holistic growing space. We'll also hear about their future plans and aspirations for this productive garden space.

The garden is a safe place and includes:

• Both a productive vegetable garden and a garden to raise plants from seeds to vegetables 
• Food for the kitchen, and to be pickled, fermented or dried for the seasons to come
• A garden for pollinators and birds to nest
• A garden to have the chickens
• A garden to house a worm colony
• A place for Fergus to lay in the sun
• A place to enjoy our outdoor kitchen

The Story Behind the Garden

A few words from Ilka and David:

We had little experience in gardening other than a few pots of herbs David had grown before we moved to our current home. We both attended a Permaculture Design Course with Tom Kendall in Kin Kin last September.  Since then we have built 15 raised Garden Beds (all from recycled and repurposed material), and one large in-ground garden bed that we will plant out for next Spring, plus nearly 50 herb plants in pots. 

We built the flower garden first to keep David busy as his body deteriorates, then the vegetables started and they are now our main focus. 

We have now completed our first full year and have already started planning for next Spring/Summer with the addition of a large arch/tunnel to grow climbing vegetables, increased amounts of pollinators and bee food, and maybe even an Espalier fruit tree or two.

7.45 pm – Connect – Light Supper (provided) and Share Table

A light supper will be served (including Gluten Free and Vegan options).

Sharing of produce on the Share Table opens after the presentation to allow plenty of time for everyone to place their donations, and then allow you to browse, connect and make your selections during supper

Share Table

Do you have surplus?

We encourage you to bring your surplus produce, plants, seeds, books, craft supplies, and resources to share with others at our monthly Connect and Learn evenings.

Some ideas of what you could bring include – fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs, honey, milk, jams, pickles, preserves, jars, ferments, starters, SCOBYs, seeds, plants, seedlings, cuttings, tubers, pots, tools, gardening magazines, permaculture books, recipes, patterns, manure, coffee grounds, compost additives, worms, mealworms, wool, fabric, craft supplies, soap, natural cleaning products, plastic alternatives, produce bags – the list is extensive.

Please bring whatever you can and then take home whatever you need within our culture of generosity and free sharing

Membership

2024 Membership Renewals are now due for all members

• Annual Membership of Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. is due by 31 December each year. 
• It's only $40 per person or $30 for a second or subsequent adult living in the same home.  
  
• Financial Members can attend events and workshops during the year at no cost. 
• You can pay your membership for 2024 at checkout when you book to attend this event.
• Membership forms will be available at the event for anyone wishing to join, or available here for download at http://www.permaculturetoowoomba.com.au/membership/

Parking

Free off-street parking is available under the library (enter from Victoria Street).

Access

The venue has access for wheelchairs, walking frames, and strollers as needed. Everyone is welcome (including children with parental supervision).

We hope we see you there!

Cost

• Financial Members of Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. - Free
• First-time Visitors to a Permaculture Toowoomba Inc. Event - Free
• Non-Members - $10 per person
• Children attending with an Adult - Free (but please book so we know the total numbers)