Parnell – building better, brighter lives and communities

Recently, Tess, along with a support crew from Grace Foundation and Parnell Rotary Club came together to continue their work at a community garden for tenants at one of our larger complexes in the central Auckland suburb of Parnell. Waitemata Local Board also provided some funding to support the project.

“The weather was on our side and we were able to plant four new citrus fruit trees. Tenants gave us some hints on what they wanted so they now have a lemon, an orange, a mandarin, and a lime all planted and growing well. Next could be feijoa and fig as we’ve had requests for these trees too,” Tess says.

Tess loving the gardens

The week before it was vegetables being planted and existing ones being nurtured.

“The tenant gardening group gets together regularly with community volunteers to tend to all the vegetables growing in the community garden and the hard mahi that has gone into this partnership is continuing to bear fruit for the participants. As a result of this mahi there are neat beds of growing bok choy, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, kale, rhubarb, strawberries, and strawberry clover for green composting too” Tess says.

Tess says these types of group activities are undertaken with tenants at the heart and also involve the local Kāinga Ora tenancy team. At Parnell Tess says Senior Housing Support Manager Cheryl and Housing Support Manager Ravindra made a significant contribution to the success of the project through their commitment to always encouraging and keeping tenants informed of what was happening at the complex.

“We’re growing fruit and vegetables so they can be eaten and enjoyed and some flowers and herbs are also nourished for feeding our butterflies, bees, and to elevate our spirits and appreciation of working with nature. Tenants also get a lot of satisfaction seeing the plants and vegetables grow and what it is also does is help to bring people together and create a sense of community and belonging.”

Another bonus is the new friendships tenants make with each other and with the community stakeholder volunteers which makes them feel valued, cared for and supported." Tess says.