Knox Community Gardens: A Place Where Community, Memory and Nature Thrive
Tucked away in the heart of Boronia, Knox Community Gardens is more than a place to grow vegetables—it’s a place where friendships blossom, memories are nurtured, and community spirit grows strong. With around 150 garden plots, each one tells a unique story of connection, resilience, and belonging.
Committee member John Faulkner says the gardens offer something especially valuable for people who don’t have access to their own growing space.
“We have a number of people where this is their only opportunity to grow anything because they live in units or high-rise flats,” he explains.
But it’s not just about plants—it’s also about people. The gardens hold special meaning for many members. One heartwarming example is a group of three sisters who continue to garden in memory of their late mother.
“Their mother had a plot here and they used to help her during her declining health. After she passed away, they kept her plot and even took on more. Now, they garden together in her memory,” John shares.
Another member found comfort by transplanting beloved plants from her parents’ home to the gardens after their family house was sold. It’s small but deeply meaningful gestures like these that make Knox Community Gardens a sanctuary for memory and healing.
A Welcoming Space for All: Morning Teas and Community Connection
Established in the mid-1980s, the gardens have flourished under the care of Knox City Council, which took over the management of the site in 1981. In recent years, Council has supported the gardens through grants—including funding a new built-in barbecue to enhance the outdoor cooking area.
In an effort to open the space up to more people, John has started a weekly Wednesday morning tea—open to everyone in the community from 10am to 12 noon.
“We have such a fabulous site here that has so much to offer, but it’s not always easily accessible to the wider community,” he says. “We just want people to be able to drop in, enjoy a cup of tea, meet their neighbours, and take a stroll through the gardens.”
Long-time locals Rhonda and Colin Newberry, who have lived nearby since the 1970s, are regular visitors—even though they don’t have a plot themselves.
“It’s just a lovely place,” Rhonda says. “You look at the mountains, admire the gardens, and chat with people. Often, if someone has too many veggies, they’ll share—and we have a coffee together.”
Looking ahead, there are exciting plans to create a sensory garden and an Indigenous food garden, offering even more opportunities for inclusive community engagement. The gardens are also actively used by local groups including Rotary Boronia, VMCH Villa Maria Catholic Homes, and Knoxbrooke Disability Services.
In collaboration with EACH community health service, the gardens support healthy eating programs for local schools, and they partner with Knox Infolink emergency relief service to transform food scraps into compost—closing the loop on sustainability.
Community groups like Gardens for Harvest – Knox & Yarra Ranges, U3A Knox, and Knox Talking Café regularly visit for tours and workshops, making Knox Community Gardens a hub for learning, sharing, and thriving—together.
Visit: Knox Community Gardens, 51 Kleinert Road, Boronia
Join the Morning Tea: Wednesdays, 10am–12 noon
Learn more: https://knoxcommunitygardens.org.au
