Before the $175,000 gardens were even finished, residents in Rosewood Cottage at Bodington Gardens at Wentworth Falls were busting down the fence to play putt putt golf.
“That was what I was most pleased about, they weren’t even open but they were trying to use it,” CSF Landscapes owner, Chris Fryer, said.
The 1000 square metre gardening project was completed in seven weeks, taking in three separate interactive gardens at the historic health facility, which has heritage-listed huts because of its beginnings as a tuberculosis sanitorium more than 100 years ago.
The gardens are set in circular paths and also have raised herb garden beds and golf holes as well as plenty of new sunny spots. Two large photographic murals – one of The Three Sisters and the other from Katoomba Falls – skirt two of the gardens and careful pruning of the large conifers in the middle southern garden means the 120 residents can now enjoy clear views of the Blue Labyrinth, even at night thanks to the new lights. The new level synthetic lawn also assures resident safety during evacuations due to fire or smog.
The project was designed by Stephanie Jones from Leafscape Designs who said it was her largest nursing home garden from more than 10 projects she has worked on in the aged care field.
Catholic Health Care regional manager Matt Filocamo said it was one of the largest investments their group had made for this financial year and he hoped to develop more gardens on site in the coming years, as well as possibly opening a cafe and the on-site museum to the public.
He said the new gardens helped ensure their aged care facilities remained “homely and engaging … and the feedback has been excellent. I was blown away too.”
Bodington’s facilities were quite unique because of the Mountains views and these gardens would encourage residents to spend more time enjoying the outdoors, he said.
A father and son duo, Martin and William Lewis, played music for the residents at the opening and the head chef Julie McMahon, with cook Jesse Hayes, served up mini scones and creams and assorted pastries.
Pastoral care co-ordinator Nadja Lawrence said “from a spiritual perspective, people gain so much from being outdoors and watching things like herbs grow, ones they can later eat. It lifts the spirits.”
In fact resident Norman Brazil had already been able to transplant some seedlings from his former Canberra home into the new herb garden. His photographer son David said his dad would enjoy the chance to get his hands dirty again.
