2020 Sustainable Garden Awards Winners

Residential Winner

Margherita (Rita) Pietrobon
6 First Avenue, Payneham South

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Rita has lived on her traditional quarter acre block in Payneham South since 1971. 

For almost 50 years, Rita and her late husband tended their garden together, planting and harvesting, bottling their own tomatoes and making wine. 

Around 20 fruit bearing trees were planted in the 1970s and 1980s that produce an abundance of fruit to this day, which Rita generously shares with her neighbours.

Since her husband passed away, Rita has continued to enjoy and maintain the garden but with a greater emphasis on non-food producing, drought tolerant plants.

Rita has created a garden with water conservation in mind, storing rainwater harvested from the house roof in a large rainwater tank and using moveable drainage pipes to distribute it to front and back lawns and fruit trees. In fact, in summer Rita doesn't use a drop of tap water on her lawn!

The garden is also home to a grape vine that shades the pergola and provides a cooling effect on hot days.

Rita controls weeds in her insecticide-free garden by hand while her happy chickens peck at and eat weeds and other pests. 

Mayor’s Award Winner

Prince Alfred College
Early Learning Centre
23 Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town

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Inspired by Reggio Emilia education philosophy, staff at Prince Alfred College Early Learning Centre encourage students to learn though exploration, discovery, questioning and experimenting, so it’s no surprise that they have invested in creating a garden firmly based on sustainability principles.

Children are encouraged to explore the garden where they can learn about the importance of urban greening, sustainability and biodiversity.

The garden features a number of large shade trees, including gum trees which also provide valuable habitat for native wildlife and a bug hotel attracting native bees and other insects.

Water conservation has been carefully considered, with permeable and porous surfaces allowing water to soak into the soil.

A 4000L rainwater tank provides Award-winning gardensSustainable Garden Awardswater for the veggie garden and even the popular water pump in the nature play area.

Food produced in the veggie garden and citrus orchard are used in the classroom to provide children with an understanding of where food comes from and encourage participation in gardening from a young age.Resident chickens close the gap for this sustainable garden, creating a circular garden as food scraps from the on-site kitchen are used to feed chickens which then produce the manure used on the veggie garden.

The nature play area, built using recycled materials and natural elements, has been designed to develop children’s balance and core strength, and also features a mud kitchen and decking area.

The Prince Alfred College Early Learning Centre garden also received a commendation in the Community Category.