Community Gardening

A community garden is a single piece of land gardened by a group of people. The garden may consist of individual plots (sometimes called allotments) and/or areas that are gardened communally.

Many WIC members are interested in participating in community gardens, or at least finding out more. Such gardens provide an opportunity to share gardening knowledge and work in a sociable environment. It often leads to sharing seeds, produce and recipes - made all the more exciting when so many different ethnicities with our traditional plants and cuisines are working together!

We are most likely to maintain involvement in a community garden if it is close to where we live. There are a number of community gardens with membership open to the general public already in existence in Hamilton and many would welcome more members. There are also a number of groups considering starting community gardens in the area.

So that you can find out about the gardens already running that you may want to join and also to learn from their experiences, we are organising a Waikato Community Garden Network Meeting on the afternoon of Thursday 22 September in Frankton, Hamilton. More details will follow - watch this discussion page...

Some of the groups that joined WIC have their own land, and we are working one by one to help them develop their gardens. The first is in Tokoroa.

Most WIC members live in the Nawton area of Hamilton, where there is no existing community garden. The Salvation Army in nearby Grandview (where some of our Grow Your Own Vegetables From Seed workshops were held) was thinking about starting a community garden when we approached them about their land: we are now looking to work together on a joint community garden project - watch this space!

Photo: Katherine Hay of the Waikato Environment Centre talking about community gardens at our first WIC meeting. (Jovi, HMS)

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on September 13, 2012 at 9:13pm

Grandview Community Garden

planting an edible hedge - a hands on practical session

Saturday 15 September 2:30 - 4 pm

Learn about

• Which edible plants make a good hedge

• When and how to plant

• Caring for your hedge

Everyone is welcome! There is plenty of land for new gardeners :)

For more information, call Clare or Tim, WIC Community Garden Mentors, ph 021 0387623 or 021 2243109.

Where: Grandview Community Garden, bus route 8 (Frankton) Entrance to the garden is through the gate opposite 183 Grandview Road.

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on September 21, 2012 at 8:22am

Grandview Commuity Garden

The new worm bin doubles as a mini potting bench, where the gardeners can sow seeds and pot up plants.

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on September 21, 2012 at 9:06am

Grow your own potatoes, carrots, lettuce, spring onions, peas, silverbeet, tomatoes, beans and chillies

Saturday September 22^nd 2.30 to 4pm and Wednesday September 26th 10 am to 12 pm

Now is great time to start your own vege plot at the community garden. We will show you how.

For more information, call Clare or Tim, WIC Community Garden Mentors ph 021 0387623 or 021 2243109.

Grandview Community Garden, bus route 8 (Frankton) Entrance to the garden is through the gate opposite 183 Grandview Road. Everyone is welcome! There is land for new gardeners

Permalink Reply by WIC Garden Project on September 25, 2012 at 5:02pm

Reminder: Auckland Community Gardens Meeting

The Gardens 4 Health (G4H) stakeholder meeting is attended by people involved in running community gardens in the Auckland area, to update each other on progress and opportunities. The quarterly meeting is held at a different community garden each time.

This time the meeting is at the Birkdale / BeachHaven Anglican Church Cedar Centre. It will include spending 1 hour helping to build a children’s garden. Contact me if you would like a copy of the agenda.

Contact Clare or Tim, WIC Community Garden Mentors, (ph 021 0387623 or 021 2243109), if you would like to travel to the meeting with them. Free.

When: Thursday 27 September, 1-3pm plus travel time.

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on September 25, 2012 at 5:53pm

Grandview Community Garden working bee

We look forward to seeing you this Friday September 28th. There could be a shower passing over, but hopefully the sun will shine.

There are all sorts of jobs from planting trees to digging paths to making signs.

Bring boots, wet weather gear, own tools if you have them, gloves (we have some), lunch and thermos if you like a hot drink. There are toilets and hand washing facilities on site. We’ll be up there and plan to start the day at 8.30 with a quick tour and brief, and can repeat for you if you’re coming after that.

Please park on Grandview Road and Enter through the gate opposite 183 Grandview Rd.(look for the banner ) Bus route number 8 (Frankton)

Get in touch if you have any questions Clare 021 0387623 and Tim ph 021 2243109 WIC Community Garden Mentors

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on September 26, 2012 at 9:15pm

Grandview Community Garden

Our community garden members are harvesting carrots, spring onions, lettuce, silverbeet, beetroot, peas and spinach.

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on October 2, 2012 at 8:10am

Grandview Community Garden - spring pest control

Which insects are good and which are bad? How to control garden pests the organic way? Come and see!

All welcome to these hands-on sessions at the Grandview Community Garden

Wednesday 3 October 10-11 am
Friday 5 October 6-7 pm
Wednesday 10 October 10-11 am

park on Grandview Road and enter through the gate opposite 183 Grandview Rd. (look for the banner ) Bus route number 8 (Frankton)

Get in touch if you have any questions Clare 021 0387623 and Tim ph 021 2243109 WIC Community Garden Mentors

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on October 5, 2012 at 9:05am

Grandview Community Garden

Thank You to the volunteers from Hamilton City Council and Organic FarmNZ Waikato who worked so hard at the community garden last friday. We appreciate the difference you made, especially in the tunnel house area and in the orchard . The gardeners have also been commenting on the improvements you’ve helped to make to the site. Its very motivating for everyone involved in the project, as it continues to develop and gather momentum.

Clare and Tim Community Garden Mentors Waikato International Community Garden Project

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on October 11, 2012 at 8:32am

Strawberries at Grandview Community Garden

Now that our strawberries are beginning to ripen in the demonstration garden, birds will be attracted to the fruit. A net curtain from the Grandview Family Store now covers the whole bed, secured with pegs. The berries will continue to ripen underneath, away from bird's eyes, we hope!

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on October 25, 2012 at 5:41pm

Spring Harvest at Grandview Community Garden

the gardeners at Grandview Community Garden are now picking their own peas, lettuce, carrots, broccoli and beetroot.

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on October 26, 2012 at 7:33pm

Kumara growing workshop saturday october 27th 2pm to 3.30pm Grandview Community Garden

All welcome

Where: Grandview Community Garden, bus route 8 (Frankton) Entrance to the garden is through the gate opposite 183 Grandview Road.

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on November 2, 2012 at 3:55pm

Water tanks are filling up with rainwater from the roof at Grandview Community Garden
Thanks to Simon, one of the community garden trustees, the lower tanks are filling up with roof water. Simon improved the water capture by dropping the tanks down a metre, now all three collection tanks are full!
If you would like to know more about the water harvesting system we have set up, contact Tim, WIC Community Garden Mentor on 012 2243109