Pop-up community garden project extended
Following a successful trial, the Cambridge community Pop Up Edible Garden planted in Leamington will be expanded, and is launching into a new location.
Waipā District Council’s Cambridge Community Board member Elise Badger, the driving force behind the project, said the trial had led to positive community interaction and support for the project.
“The trial began at the end of October last year had a great response from the community. I’m so pleased to announce that the gardens will be extended at the Thompson Street site, and into a new location in Leamington.”
“We will be planting the new gardens with dedicated themes to help cultivate growth, with herbs, leafy greens and winter crops planted separately. Our community should be able to enjoy this new harvest in a few months’ time, which we’ll announce on our Facebook page as we have for previous crops.”
Little Sparrows Educare, an early childhood centre in Leamington will be the kaitiaki for the new Froude Reserve garden, joining the current collective of community volunteers who oversee the existing gardens.
Little Sparrows spokesperson Caroline Barns-Graham said the new garden would provide a fantastic educational opportunity for their tamariki.
“We are all very excited about this joint venture, I know that both the Educare and preschool will thoroughly enjoy learning about planting cycles, insect life and all the other treasures Papatūānuku offers,” Barns-Graham said.
The community is invited and encouraged to attend the new garden planting events at Thompson Street and Froude Reserve, which will happen simultaneously between 3pm-4pm on Sunday 11 April.
The Pop Up Edible Garden Project was proposed by the Reserve Landscape Working Group of the Cambridge Community Board to support the COVID recovery, who liaise between Cambridge community gardening and greenspace groups and Waipā District Council.
To learn more about the project and keep up-to-date with harvest times, head to www.facebook.com/popupediblegardencambridge.