The Ranui Community garden initiative was developed over five years ago with Waitakere City Council to promote health, wellbeing and a sustainable environment. Situated at 22 Marinich Drive, the project offers garden plots to families, groups or individuals. For those unable to take responsibility for their own plot, there is provision to work on other plots in return for produce.

In addition to the direct health benefits of eating home-grown fruit and vegetables, the project also puts great emphasis on the empowerment of residents:

• Through gaining gardening knowledge and skills, and
• Generating income and a certain self-reliance

More recently, Ranui Primary School has taken on eight plots so that their students can learn how to grow their own flowers, fruit and vegetables. As the Ranui webpage says, “This is everyone’s garden”. It is designed so everyone can join in, from children to the elderly and the disabled. See their website for further information and photographs of their wonderful gardens, some of which illustrate this article.