Community Garden caretakers (from left) David, Sandra and Dean.

A dusty dirt strip in an inner-south suburban street has blossomed – along with the neighbourhood around it.

The Melrose Park Community Garden, supported by housing and community services provider Junction, has become a gathering place where seeds are planted and wellbeing and friendships thrive.

Led by local residents, the garden, umbrellaed by an old fig tree in Regent Street, is part of a growing national movement. Community Gardens Australia counts more than 700 similar spaces across the country.

“When I first came here, this precinct was new and there wasn’t much happening,” resident David recalled. “Junction put in the first herb garden for us. I started planting and people were slowly drawn to it. Before long, neighbours were adding their own seeds and bulbs.”

Now, basil brightens bruschetta, mint flavours desserts and roasts, and parsley garnishes plates following a quick dash from doorsteps.

“I’ve seen a dad run over in his pyjamas because he needs herbs for dinner,” David said.

While some locals boast greener thumbs than others, David says the garden’s magic goes well beyond produce. “It gets you away from screens, out of the house,” he said.

“Sometimes I’ll be out there and suddenly there are three or four of us, people from all walks of life pitch in. Language isn’t a barrier in a garden.”

It’s also been a quiet refuge. After one of his close friends and fellow gardeners in the apartment complex moved into aged care and another passed away, tending the beds helped David work through grief.

“Going back out there really helped me process the sadness,” he said.

It seems fitting October marks both Mental Health Week (starting Monday, October 12) and National Gardening Week (third week of the month). Indeed, research from mental health foundation Headspace shows gardening lowers stress, boosts mood and strengthens social connection, with 93 per cent of Australians saying time outdoors improves their mental health.

Junction Head of Impact Dr Alisa Willis said the Melrose Park garden is one of six supported by Junction across South Australia, including several on Kangaroo Island developed after the 2019 bushfires.

“Spaces where people feel welcome and safe are at the heart of every strong community,” Dr Willis said.

“Community gardens cultivate more than food and flowers. They are places people take real pride in and provide a sanctuary to share, care and connect.”