Festival fun: Judy Margolis, Hazel Ingram, Jenny Wills and Harold Waldron get into the spirit of the ageing well festival.
By Michelle Herbison
A PORTARLINGTON festival next week will encourage elderly residents to continue gardening into old age.
Portarlington and District Gardening Club’s Judy Margolis said the Active Living/ Ageing Well Expo would focus on practical and easy gardening tips for seniors.
“Quite often people feel they are less able to garden in the same way as they age,” Ms Margolis said.
“We’d feel very sad about people giving up on their garden altogether.”
Ms Margolis said club members would offer advice on solutions including raised garden beds.
A demonstration of propagating plants from seed would help address financial problems with gardening for seniors, she said.
“Another problem with ageing is people have much more limited income. We’ll have free plants for people to take home and also pots and seeds and things to get people started on propagating.”
Staying in Portarlington’s Jenny Wills said her group had arranged more than 20 exhibitors to encourage seniors to remain active in their community.
They included representatives from banks, Geelong libraries and community groups including Woofers and Walkers, Probus, Rotary and the town’s op shop.
“People will have the chance to try Nordic pole walking, massage and bike riding,” Ms Wills said.
The Active Living/Ageing Well Expo will be at Parks Hall, Newcombe St, Portarlington, from 1pm to 4.30pm Tuesday.
