Darren Martin

Darren Martin, a seasoned educator with over 25 years of teaching experience, is a Community Greening Officer at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney.

In this role, Darren liaises with partners and stakeholders to create opportunities for social housing tenants to grow food, improve their wellbeing, and build thriving communities through gardening. His approach to community greening is centred on creating spaces where people can connect with the earth, find joy in nature, and build meaningful relationships. 

Darren's formal education includes a degree in Primary School Teaching, a Certificate III in Horticulture, and a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC). His ability to communicate complex concepts in a relatable way has made him a respected figure in the community greening space. He sees information sharing as a gift we can all give each other, and his calm, patient demeanour helps him connect with people from all walks of life.

A typical day for Darren involves travelling across the greater Sydney region, sharing his passion for gardening with social housing tenants. It's not just about planting seeds; it's about telling stories, celebrating successes, and enjoying the simple pleasures of connecting  to nature. His favourite memory involves a tenant who, after four years of happily attending Darren’s gardening workshops and having chats, finally decided to put a plant in the ground – a testament to Darren's patience and dedication to making a difference.

Darren enjoys creating gardens that mimic wild spaces and celebrate natural diversity. He is particularly interested in medicinal herbs and believes in the healing powers of plants. While seeing beauty in all plants, his favourite is an Australian native, the waratah. It’s hard to go past its tough leathery leaves and striking red flowers which fill the bush with joy.

Darren is particularly proud of the time his school environmental group celebrated Earth Hour by not only going without electricity for a day, but also growing 550 lettuces to donate to families so they could have a salad for dinner and not cook that night. This initiative raised over $600 for a solar installation in a remote disadvantaged community.

Darren's vision for the future of the Gardens is to continue inspiring and educating people about the joys and benefits of gardening. He hopes to see more community gardens fostering connections and bringing people together through a love of plants and nature.