Community gardens grown in stature
At Plimmerton School a ?dirty big slip? beside Motuhara Road demolished their school garden three days before a working-bee was due to start. ?A water main burst and 500 cubic meters of dirt landed on our gardens. ?The council are repairing the slip and reinstating the bank, and they will also reinstate the garden at their expense,? says Principal Maurice Laird. The school budgeted for a renewal of the summer garden only three days before the slip. ?We are absolutely committed to getting a garden going again,? he says. The schools tech-rooms sit beside the garden and produce is fed into cooking classes or taken home by students. Johnsonville School is currently taking their enviro-programme to the next level by planting an orchard. On the outskirts of the school garden they have planted several apple, feijoa, plum, and lemon trees, funded by the Heha Nutrion Fund. ?We have a small orchard planned, and some kids currently take home produce from the gardens. ?It really appeals to kids that appreciate hands-on involvement,? says principal Warwick Austin. Many children, throughout the school, also enjoy visiting the garden during lunchtimes, he says. Meanwhile Moera Community Garden coordinator Paul Kennett says the plot is ?all go? and they are in the process of planting spring vegetables. ?Now that we have more beds there is potential for more people to come along,? says Mr Kennett. The group has added three new garden beds for summer, bringing their lot to ten beds and four tractor tyres. The garden is open to the whole community to pick from, but Mr Kennett asks people who take produce to lend a hand on Saturday mornings. ?There are no individual plots for people; it is a fully open community garden. ?At some point that might change, but at the moment it?s not an issue,? he says. Broad beans, lettuce and broccoli are plentiful, with Zucchinis on the way. Defying the adage that kids dislike greens, Mr Kennett?s two year-old enjoys eating raw broccoli. ?Not only that, but he likes eating only the stalks, not the flowery bits. ?It?s very strange, but fine for us because we get to eat the nice part,? Mr Kennett says. The garden produced a plentiful supply of Zucchinis last season and onions and garlic are beginning to come through. Last month local community garden groups held a successful seed swap, which helped forge closer ties between groups. It emerged that Eastbourne?s garden behind St Alban Church has reluctant takers, and coordinator Ann Best encourages more people to get involved. Alicetown Transition Towns centre is currently used for education, and a garden is ?but a twinkle in the eye? of coordinator Richard Morrison. ?In a fortnights time it should be getting going there,? says Mr Kennett. The following schools also have flourishing garden programmes; Randwick, Petone Central, Rata St, Muritai, and St Antonio?s.
