Australia's Gardening Charity

Clive and Penny Blazey set out to find a better way of life, the good life, when they started The Diggers Club in Melbourne in 1978. 

Preservation and conservation sit at the core of the Blazey’s vision for Diggers. Whether this be in preserving historic houses and gardens such as Heronswood (circa 1857) and The Garden of St Erth (circa 1854), planting water-saving gardens or championing heirloom vegetable and flowers seeds in the face of corporatisation, Diggers has always been much more than a typical garden company. 

The idea of growing their own food to feed their young family, tending a beautiful garden and living sustainably with as little impact on the environment as possible, has been their passion from the start and over the last 40 years Diggers has connected with experts, shared ideas and discovered a community of believers wanting to connect with nature and live sustainably. 

Over the years, Clive has upset many with his vocal criticism of genetically modified seeds, commodified agriculture and of politicians who advocate exploitation of natural resources, but his commitment to living sustainably and the practice of this at Diggers and for gardeners generally has never waned. 

The Diggers Club gardens of Heronswood and St Erth were the first officially certified organic gardens in Australia and it is through these demonstration gardens that Diggers helps to educate Australian gardeners to engage in the story of sustainability and seed heritage. 

Pictured right: Clive and Penny Blazey at Heronswood 

'Through education and understanding we can reverse the generational damage done to our environment but if we don't act quickly, we risk irreparable damage to the planet's climate' 

- Clive Blazey, Foundation Co-founder. 

The humble gardener can make a world of difference, grow with purpose

The Diggers Club business was gifted to The Diggers Foundation in 2011 so all profits are now funneled towards a greater purpose.

Our 90,000 members have enabled The Diggers Club/Foundation to;

• Oppose genetically engineered seeds
• Celebrate the diversity of open-pollinated heirloom seeds
• Promote sustainable organic gardening throughout Australia 

Those that have donated to The Diggers Foundation have extended this message allowing seeds to be donated to community groups and not-for-profit organisations across the country focused on living sustainably.

With this continued support, we aim to donate 1 million seeds every year across the country.