Volunteer gardening group gets council nod

DO YOU like gardening, and want to see some of our local gardens around public buildings spruced up a notch?

An idea from Cr Sue Meehan to form a volunteer gardening group was last week approved by Ballina Shire Council.

The group would initially focus on shire facilities like the Northern Rivers Community Gallery, the council chambers and community centres.

Cr Meehan said council's outdoor staff were being asked to do more and more around the shire, and weren't able to spend as much time on the gardens around those kind of public buildings.

"That very special gardening takes up such a lot of time," she said.

"If we have a gardening club, they can take pride in it (the garden) and it frees up staff to do other core business."

She said there were many people in the community who had downsized their homes, but still enjoyed gardening and could get involved in the volunteer group.

Council soon will call for gardening volunteers.