At Dingwall Trust, the community garden isn’t just about encouraging green thumbs and eating lots of fruit and veggies; it also makes children and young people aware of the delicate ecosystems that support life on this planet and how we can all help care for the environment, everyday!
For starters, the garden is completely organic, no pesticides and herbicides used here. Instead, companion planting, (and other homemade methods, such as moth scarers made from coffee cup lids!) are employed to deter pesky insects, while the children’s hard work helps keep the garden weed-free.
It is fertilised from the compost heap that gobbles up plant and organic waste, returning nutrients to the soil and reducing rubbish in Auckland’s landfills. Worm tea is sprinkled liberally, with the worm farm also helping to deal with food scraps.
Dingwall’s edible garden is also home to a couple of beehives. The humble bee is an essential link in any ecosystem because it pollinates and cross pollinates plants as it buzzes around gathering nectar to turn into delicious, healthy honey.
A recent project is to plant more natives, returning land to its natural state.
The tamariki and rangatira at Dingwall Trust don’t just learn about the environment and how it works in a theoretical way — they get to nurture and immerse themselves in it on a daily basis. They will carry these practical skills and knowledge into adult life.
If you would like to donate to the garden, click here.
