Trafalgar's Andrews House Residential Aged Care opened its new community garden earlier this month with a ribbon cutting and an afternoon tea made from the garden's produce.

The fruit, vegetable and sensory garden has been 12 months in the making after Andrews House secured a $65,000 Public Sector Residential Aged Care (PSRAC) grant. It was designed in consultation with residents and includes an orchard, raised vegetable boxes, flowers beds, a chicken pen, walking paths and seating areas.
West Gippsland Healthcare Group board chairperson Jo-Anne Moorfoot declared the garden officially open alongside facility manager Lucy Lewis, lifestyle co-ordinator Merita Rawlyk and resident Mick Donohue.
Guests and residents enjoyed an afternoon tea that included lemonade made with lemons and mint from the garden, sponge cake and orange and poppy seed muffins using fresh eggs from the chickens - Thelma and Louise - and cheese and spinach rolls using spinach grown in the new vegetable garden.
Merita said the area had already lifted the spirits, physical activity and social interaction among residents and staff. "It encourages a sense of community," she said.
"Residents are volunteering their time to keep it neat, clean and tidy and they're out there enjoying morning tea with their friends. It encourages teamwork and builds self-esteem and self-confidence. By growing their own produce, residents are able to connect to previous interests.
"I believe the community garden is an area for both fruitful and spiritual harvest."
Ms Moorfoot congratulated Merita and Lucy on leading and completing the project, as well as residents for their input on the design.
"I'm always so impressed with how warm and welcoming and how much like a family this place is," she said.
"I think the garden is a wonderful addition to what is already a wonderful facility. It is a legacy that we will be able to have for many years to come."
WGHG's Warragul residential aged care facility, Cooinda Lodge, also received a PSRAC grant to build their own community garden, which will be opened at a later date.