FOR the past 15 years, a team of volunteers has quietly and consistently transformed the gardens of the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement.
Jill Martin and Brenda Monk, now both in their 80s, are the heart and hands of the team.
Before lending her green thumb to the Settlement, Jill tended the courtyard garden at her mother’s care home.
“I used to garden at Alcheringa when my mother was in care,” she said.
“I’d take her out into the courtyard, and we’d get some sunshine and exercise.”
After Brenda’s mother passed away, she joined Jill, and in 2010, the pair began volunteering at the Pioneer Settlement.
What started out small blossomed into a long-running passion project that continues to inspire others.
“We started together,” Jill said.
“Someone at the Garden Club mentioned there was a spot here, and we’ve been here ever since.”
At the time, neither of them lived in Swan Hill, but once a week, without fail, Jill and Brenda made the journey to work the soil, trim the hedges, and build something enduring
“We came religiously,” Brenda said.
The impact of their work goes well beyond the flowerbeds.
“Gardening is therapeutic,” said Brenda.
“You can sit out there, look at a plant, and just relax. It quietens the mind.”
Jill agreed: “It’s calming. You’re always thinking, ‘What could I plant here?’ or ‘What would grow better over there?’”
Their dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed.
One fellow volunteer described Jill as “a powerhouse” and “a little dynamo” with “an encyclopaedic knowledge of plants.”
“She just comes in and gets on with it,” she said.
“She knows hundreds of plant names and has planted entire rows on her own.”
Newer volunteers, like Prue Fisher and Marita Wilkins, say it was Jill, Brenda, and retired gardener Helen who laid the foundations of the warm, welcoming garden culture that first drew them in.
“Jill and Brenda have been the backbone,” said Prue.
“They’re so committed; but never loud about it. Just constant and kind.”
Each volunteer now tends their own section of garden, including areas around the historic church and homestead.
While Jill and Brenda began the team years ago, a new generation is beginning to take root.
Volunteers like Marita and Prue are continuing the legacy; and still marvel at the women who started it all.
“Jill and Brenda are just the loveliest people; passionate, generous, and endlessly knowledgeable,” Marita said.
As the group prepares garden beds, prunes bushes, and shares their morning chats, their work continues to brighten the Settlement for the thousands of visitors who pass through each year.
“Gardening is good for the soul,” said Marita.
“And it’s just so nice and rewarding to see people enjoy it.”
Jill and Brenda may never seek the spotlight, but those who work beside them insist they deserve it.
“They keep us going,” said Marita.
“And if you want to see something done right, just follow their lead.”
Marketing coordinator Janelle Earle expressed gratitude for all the volunteers on behalf of the Pioneer Settlement.
“Jill and Brenda, like all our volunteers, are incredibly valued and deeply appreciated,” she said.
“They care for the gardens with such passion; it’s a huge part of what makes the Pioneer Settlement so special.
“We’re truly lucky to have people in our community who give their time so generously.”
