As Laudato Si’ Week approaches, the garden at the Church of the Nativity in Aberfoyle Park, Adelaide, offers a simple yet powerful expression – “care for our common home”. Source: The Southern Cross.
Not long ago, the space in front of the church was “just grass that had died off … mostly weeds and the odd olive trees growing wild,” recalled parishioner Sharyn Black.
With the help of a Grassroots Grant from the Green Adelaide Board in 2024, that neglected patch was transformed into a native garden designed for reflection, learning and community use.
“Thanks to one of our parishioners who knew about this grant and helped us apply for it, we were able to transform the sandy and weed-filled patch into something beautiful and useful. The grant helped enormously in putting the garden together,” Ms Black said.
Funding supported essential groundwork, including clearing invasive weeds, installing irrigation and preparing the site for long-term sustainability.
One of the grant conditions was the use of native plants. Working with a local nursery, the parish introduced about 300 plants, carefully planned around existing gum trees.
A mix of native species, from grevilleas and banksias to saltbush and flowering shrubs, now attracts birds, bees and other insects. A winding path leads visitors through the garden, which also serves as a reflective space with Stations of the Cross.
“We wanted to give the garden another function,” Ms Black said. “A space where people could meander through, reflect and engage more deeply.”
Rosemary planted at each station adds a sensory element. “It is a symbol of remembrance and also adds a beautiful scent as you walk through.”
Despite challenges, including last year’s drought, most plants have survived and the garden is thriving “in most parts”.
QR codes placed throughout the garden add an educational layer, sharing plant information and their traditional uses by the Kaurna people, the Traditional Owners and custodians of the Adelaide Plains and surrounding regions in South Australia.
Laudato Si’ Week 2026 will take place from May 17–24, focusing on the theme “From Hope to Action” to celebrate the anniversary of Pope Francis’s landmark encyclical on care for creation.
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Care for creation takes root at local parish (By Christina Francis, The Southern Cross)
