A growing green space has put down roots in Hobsonville Point Park with the opening of the Catalina Community Garden.

Located on Buckley Ave alongside the Waterford on Hobsonville Point retirement village, stage one of the shared garden includes 29 plots, a composting area and a communal herb bed and fruit trees. Plots are available for Hobsonville Point residents and families to grow fresh vegetables while the herbs and fruit are there for all to use and enjoy.

“The vision of the garden is to enhance the Point’s sense of community and create a vibrant social space that everyone can enjoy,” says Bridgette Gillham of the garden committee. “We really want it to be a usable place where people can indulge their love of gardening while sharing resources, knowledge and fun together.

“And of course, it gives residents more options for gardening beyond their backyards in order to enjoy the delicious taste of fresh vegetables taken straight from the ground to the plate.”

The garden is underpinned by an ethos of sustainability and environmental best practice, meaning that composting, organic fertilizers and pest control ensure it is a safe space for people, plants and the planet alike.

And there are big plans for the facility’s future which could include a barbeque and seating area, a shed with shared tools, a potting table and some shade for seedlings in addition to more plots. In time, the vision is for a designated area where people can help themselves to excess produce shared by plot-holders.  It is also hoped the garden will one day host workshops and demonstrations, with The Compost Collective, the Hobsonville Herb Group and the Kaipatiki Project already lending the initiative their support.

The garden has been funded by Waterford on Hobsonville Point, the Upper Harbour Local Board and HLC. Kathleen Waldock of HLC says it’s great to see it established.

“Sheer determination has got it through and the committee has put so much work into it, not just for themselves but for the whole community.”

For more information, email catalinacommunitygarden@gmail.com.