Meet the Braybrook woman helping bushfire victims recover

Pot plant lovers of Melbourne are being asked to donate one of their treasures to families in Victoria’s east who lost their beloved indoor plants in bushfires three months ago.

Liz Gardiner has been driving all over Melbourne collecting donated pot plants to give to families in Bunyip.

Pot plants may not be the first or even the second thing you would think to save in a bushfire, but that’s what many families wished they rescued after the Bunyip fires three months ago.

Braybrook woman Liz Gardiner listened to stories from people who lost their homes and heard many say they saved their children, they saved their pets, but they couldn’t save their pot plants.

“So many people said it. Some people said they lost plants that were over 20 years old,” Ms Gardiner said.

“One woman said her late mother had given her a plant 25 years ago and it was her last link with mum.”

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The 69-year-old felt compelled to do something and started asking neighbours to donate pot plants that she could bring to Bunyip families with help from Blaze Aid.

So far, Ms Gardiner has collected 240 plants from all around Melbourne, and a few weeks ago delivered 120 plants to Bunyip.

“They were very amazed there were so many. People were quite surprised at the number and the fact we would be coming back with more,” she said.

Three women from Brisbane, Sydney and rural Victoria found out about Ms Gardiner’s efforts and each donated $100 so more plants could be bought.

“Gardening has been proven to help people mentally, it can be therapeutic,” Ms Gardiner said.

People are encouraged to drop off plants at the Farnham St Learning Centre in Flemington.

Flowering plants are preferred, and the weeds agapanthus and willows will not be accepted.