Forrest Hill to build its first community garden

An unassuming pocket of land at the back of Seine Reserve is set to become Forrest Hill’s first community garden later this year.

The North Shore site is half the size of a netball court and separated by a fence from Westlake Forrest Hill Kindergarten, overlooking the rest of the reserve.

The plan began with a chat between teachers and parents at the kindergarten, when residents Phoebe and David Atkinson learned the teachers shared their enthusiasm for creating a garden there.

A subsequent meeting at the kindergarten attracted interested members of the community who contributed ideas.

The support shown by the community really got the ball rolling, says Ms Atkinson.

“On the surface, it’s to have a beautiful space, to teach people how to garden and learn from othersb . . . but the real heart behind this is about connecting people.

“There’s a desire for people to have much more connection . . . this time of lockdown has kind of brought that to the surface,” she says.

She hopes the garden will be an inclusive space and was thrilled to see older Chinese and Korean couples attend the initial consultation.

“We are feeling optimistic and positive that it’s going to be a really culturally inclusive place where everyone feels belonging.”

Seine Reserve. Photo: Lucy Xia.

Over the past 18 months, the couple has seen through two applications submitted to Auckland Council’s park services and community facility teams.

Consent from the council to occupy the land is the last piece of paperwork needed before digging and planting can start in the spring or early summer.

A tentative visual design for the initiative reveals plans for a chicken coop, vegetable beds, sunflowers and compost bins.

Earlier this month, Ms Atkinson set up a wooden shelf outside her house where neighbours could freely exchange seedlings and be updated on the garden initiative.

“We’ve had so many people stop by to either add something or participate by taking something and have been really eager to stop and have a chat . . . a chance to pause and connect,” she says.

The Forrest Hill Community Garden Facebook page is gaining members while over 30 neighbours have signed up to newsletter updates.

Victoria, a keen gardener living in the Seine reserve neighbourhood says she is looking forward to getting involved and growing a range of vegetables, herbs and fruits.

“It’ll be a community resource that we can all tap into.”