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 July 18, 2012 at 10:01am

Tunnel House building at Grandview Community Garden

Creating warmth: building a tunnel house: On Saturday 21 July 2012 Community Garden Mentor Tim is leading a free hands-on workshop at Grandview Community Garden, 9-3 pm. Not only will we be building the garden’s tunnel house from recycled materials, we will have pictures and ideas for other forms of shelter you can build for your plants, such as green houses, cold frames and cloches. Join us to lend a hand, ask questions and share ideas.

Bring: hand tools (if you have them), ideas and enthusiasm. Wear shoes or boots and warm clothing, We will be working outside.

Where: Grandview Community Garden. Park on the road opposite 183 Grandview Rd and walk across the grass.

Clare and Tim WIC Community Garden Mentors ph 021 0387623 021 2243109

Permalink Reply by WIC Garden Project on July 20, 2012 at 1:38pm

Creating Warmth workshop

Bring a water bottle too.

We will provide a light lunch.

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on July 18, 2012 at 9:01pm

Fruit Tree Planting at Grandview Comunity Garden

The community gardeners planted a range of citrus, apple, feijoa and persimmon trees at Grandview Community Garden last weekend. We discussed what to consider when selecting a tree, and how to choose a good site. The trees will all be well mulched with 20cm layer of woodchippings, to conserve soil moisture and soil life.

Permalink Reply by WIC Garden Project on July 20, 2012 at 11:00am

Fruit Tree Planting

We could not have asked for better weather for the orchard planting last Saturday: fine but cool and overcast, with the promise of rain the next day.

The Grandview Community Gardeners had made suggestions about what to fruit trees plant. We planted out a persimmon, two apples (one early and one mid-season), two varieties of mandarins and two Apollo feijoas (a self-fertile variety). In spring we will also plant a lime tree and a hedge of red and yellow guavas (another workshop to look forward to!) The edible-hedge will act as a shelter belt for the garden, protecting it from the worst of the southerly winds.

With this selection of trees, the orchard should provide fruit all year round for the gardeners in years to come – most of the trees that were planted should outlive us!

One of the trees we planted was an apple variety called Monty’s Surprise. It is a heritage variety which has particularly high levels of cancer preventing substances. The Monty’s Surprise fruit are huge – one apple has weighed in at 1 kg! The fruit ripen about April is crisp and tart and can be used as an eating or cooking apple.

A big thank you to the Waikato Branch of the NZ Tree Crops Association and the Waikato District Health Board HEHA fund for donating the trees!

Permalink Reply by WIC Garden Project on July 20, 2012 at 11:51am

Open Day & Working Bee at the Cambridge Community Garden

This Sunday 22nd July, 9 am - lunch time

The garden is located on Vogel street, next door to Resthaven.

For more information click here. Sustainable Cambridge, Tel: (07) 823 74 33

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on July 20, 2012 at 4:27pm

On thursday at Grandview Community Garden we took cuttings of roses, grapes, figs, lavender and boysenberries.

How to look after your cuttings:

Keep the potting mix damp, but not wet. Find a sheltered spot outside for the pot, where the cuttings will not get too dry or wet. Roots will begin to grow, and you can plant out the new plants in early summer.

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on July 24, 2012 at 12:43pm

Lawn mower and wheelbarrow maintenance at Grandview Community Garden

Thursday 26th July 10am to 12 pm. Join us to lend a hand fixing the lawnmower and wheelbarrow. We will also be available to help you with the next stage of your garden plot. New garden members welcome.

Wear shoes or boots and warm clothing, We will be working outside.

Where: Grandview Community Garden. Park on the road opposite 183 Grandview Rd and walk across the grass.

Clare and Tim WIC Community Garden Mentors ph 021 0387623 021 2243109

Permalink Reply by WIC Garden Project on August 1, 2012 at 2:19pm

Tomorrow (Thursday 2 August) 10 am – 12 noon, Tim will be continuing to work on the tunnel house at Grandview Community Garden. You are welcome to look and learn or lend a hand.

We will be working outside.

Where: Grandview Community Garden. Entry opposite 183 Grandview Rd - walk across the grass.

More information? Ask Clare and Tim, WIC Community Garden Mentors, ph 021 0387623 021or 2243109.

Transport:

Bus- There is a bus stop directly outside - Frankton (number 8) route, Busit ph 0800-4287-5463.
Car - Park on the road

Bike - park by the shed

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on August 7, 2012 at 2:28pm

Tunnel House taking shape at Grandview Community Garden

Our new tunnel house built by Tim and community gardeners and volunteers is slowly taking shape. The plastic skin made from reused mattress wrapping, attached to wooden battens, is almost ready to be fixed to the frame.

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on August 8, 2012 at 11:35am

a winter harvest of fresh broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and spring onions from Grandview Community Garden

Permalink Reply by Clare Jackson on August 9, 2012 at 1:16pm

Fruit tree planting at the SWPICS Community Garden at Maraetai rd, TokoroaFruit trees and berry plants donated by the Waikato District Health Board HEHA project were planted at the SWPICS Community Garden by Edna, Charlie and staff on july 19th. Tim (WIC community garden mentor) lent a hand.