Post originally published here.
While walking around Norton Plaza I often noticed signs referring to the Norton Plaza Community Kitchen Garden located on the rooftop. It wasn’t until my mum came to visit that I actually decided to explore the garden.
After misreading a sign and trying to go up a fire exit we found the lift and took it to level 2. At first it’s a bit disorientating because you enter the sterile business side of Norton Plaza, a receptionist sits behind the desk at Bakers Delight HQ.
Once we were over the “I don’t think we are supposed to be here,” feeling we followed a sign that enticed us to experience the “magic of growth” and stepped outside into the Kitchen Garden.
With a stunning view of the city skyline we found many planter boxes filled with fresh herbs and fruit. Little signs dotted around the garden enticed us to pick as many herbs as we wanted.
Fresh herbs for free? How can you resist? From chives to thyme, rosemary and lavender, it also includes many types of fruit like kiwis, mandarins, lemons and limes and plenty more updated with the changing seasons.
There are tips for which veges and herbs to sow depending on the season and recipes you can take home. Norton Plaza Community Kitchen Garden is inspired and designed to support the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation which promotes food education in Australian primary schools teaching the benefits of growing your own food and cooking from scratch
The Kitchen Garden is a great place to bring children as they are able to pick their own herbs, play in the sandpit or write and scribble on the many blackboards on offer.
The planter boxes are also dotted around downstairs in Norton Plaza, standing there to remind me that I should stray from 2 minute noodles, scrambled eggs and cans of tuna from time to time.
