With Covid and the wet weather, all gardens are delayed now till mid August. Nothing much grows through these mid winter wet months so growing time is not really lost.
This week I visited Tewai who is in an amazingly large beautiful section across the road from the reserve and water. It is very tidy and she is trying her hand at gardening with pots and whatever she has been able to get. She was disappointed some of her things looked like they had died, but I explained this is time for their rest. I explained things like mint and berry bushes will perk up with new growth in Spring and to her relief, that her tomatoes will be unlikely to do much as this is the wrong season to plant them, and that made her feel better that it wasn’t a failure on her part. We talked about other plants growing in her garden and a problem wasp hive and what to do about that.
Next Visit was Tamiti. They had no prior growing experience that I could see. We found a spot that was suitable and they are happy with whatever plants I bring in. Nice easy access for both these gardens with a wheelbarrow through a gate.
*Some names have been changed for the privacy of participants
Rākau Tautoko 