A Community Garden is being developed in Waiouru with the intention of teaching members of the community how to become self-sufficient and to increase community awareness around the environment. The Community garden is situated at the Waiouru Primary School. Funding has been received from Powerco Wanganui Trust to start the project and garden equipment and seedlings have kindly been donated by Bunnings, Palmerston North.  Transfield Services Limited is also getting behind the project sharing the horticultural knowledge of their staff and services wherever possible.

Some of the Primary School pupils have recently planted two Monty Surprise Apple Trees which were donated by the Otaihape Freemasons and members of The Hutt in Taihape and 13 additional fruit trees have been planted at the site this week by the Primary School children

More information and photos
(click for larger image)
below.........

Should you have experience or an interest in our community garden, we would appreciate hearing from you. You can also help by donating useful items such as gardening books, equipment and tools, etc.

This is a community effort aimed at supporting everyone in the community for the future.

Phone Rose Whyte on 06 387 5599 Ext. 7804 if you would like to help.
Help needed in the following ways:
* People with abilities around building, landscaping, sculpting, carving.
* Knowledge of gardening in Waiouru area - what grows/what doesn't, plant protection
* Contributions of useful items for the garden - books, tools
* Helpful contacts of people who might be interested in helping us with the project
* Committee members to get involved in planning.

Contact Josie Hagger if you would like to donate a tree to the orchard to commemorate your time here at Waiouru.

The children learned about planting seedlings in November 2008 and there were lots of vegetable plants which were harvested in early January.

The Waiouru Support Company, school children and teachers had a working bee at the garden in February.  Horse manure was added to the gardens and fruit trees, vegetable seedlings planted and mulched.

The School are in the process of getting a garden Shed built and need assistance to build the glasshouse.  Once these are underway, the children will be able to raise their own seedlings.

Our sincere thanks to:

Powerco Wanganui Trust for their donation to start our community garden.
The Otaihape Freemasons and The Hutt of Taihape for donation of apple trees.
Bunnings in Palmerston North for donation of a green house, garden equipment, seeds, seedlings and matting.
Awapuni Nurseries for donation of seedlings.
Larry from the Hobby Hut for building compost bins.
Rick and Angel for their advice, support and donations of plants for the garden.


We still need assistance from anyone in the community with the gardens.  It might only be 2 hours a week, but the plants always need watering and someone in the vicinity of the gardens might be able to help.  Please contact Josie Hagger at the School if you can assist in any way.