Vacant land behind the facility will be transformed into a community permaculture garden.

Jacinta Ojwang, founder Goulburn-based Kenyan project Suluhisho Trust, said the Goulburn Permaculture Garden (GPG) was an opportunity to teach new skills, provide local produce and experiment with sustainable gardening.

For Mrs Ojwang, the act of gardening not only promotes personal healing but can help grow community itself.

"When we came back to Australia (in 2014), we decided that we would stay here but set something up that would serve the Goulburn community as well as, eventually, Kenya," Mrs Ojwang said.

"This project is set up through the charity and is currently a work for the dole project, so we have local people placed here to learn permaculture skills, gardening skills and participate in the activity."

The garden exists to create a fresh line of produce locally for purchase, to support local restaurants and to develop and income source for the charity.

"The garden is really utilising different ways of gardening, using recycled water and in the greenhouses particularly looking at how we can keep things growing throughout the winter season, because I think it's pretty easy to stop growing things in winter in Goulburn. We want to show people there is another way," she said.

Six greenhouses, one fitted with an aquaponic system, are in operation. The condemned playground located in the centre of the nursery acts as another place for plants to grow. There are no pesticides or chemicals used in any of the production, but homemade remedies for pest control and to promote growth - like chillis and pepper.

While the garden itself is only a few months old, Mrs Ojwang already has big plans for the future.

It will host monthly markets on every first Friday, inviting other local growers to sell and build a network. A clear paddock area behind the playground will eventually be fenced and transformed into a larger permaculture space, with an entertaining area available for bookings. Residents interested in gardening, or without space to garden for themselves, will be able to participate in workshops and have their own garden space within the larger facility.

Proceeds from the produce sold at the garden and its markets filter directly back into the facility and to the Kenyan Suluhisho project. Food from the nursery is provided to the Angels For The Forgotten community kitchen, and hampers are given to families in need.

"It's about connecting communities and connecting people who wouldn't necessarily have the opportunity to grow food," Mrs Ojwang said.

"For us it is really about creating opportunity of employment for people as well. Even though it's currently a work for the dole project we are being introduced to people who haven't necessarily got a job, but who are hard working and we want to be able to create that opportunity through growing, selling and becoming distributors locally and out of town."

The next Goulburn Permaculture Garden market will be held this Friday June 3, with a time to be advised.

For information on the garden or to become involved in the market call Jactina on 0406 202 264.

The garden is open Mondays and Fridays 11am to 2pm.