Background

Community Gardens have been with us as long as villages and communities have existed. They have fed us, connected us, taught us and allowed us to reestablish our connection back to nature. For those involved they can be a tremendously positive experience that comes from the act of giving freely back to your community without expecting anything back.

They are as unique as the people that invest their time and energy in them, though at their core is a community space, some soil and good intentions. From these simple elements and with an immense amount of positive energy they deliver such a range of benefits for communities that go far beyond the act of simply producing food.

The Village Garden Project aimed to provide the tools for any community garden to tell their story, and to celebrate and champion the cause of community gardeners.

Project Team

This project was a collaboration of folks all with a common cause to champion the roll and place of community gardens in cities. The core team included Tim Packer and Chris Montgomerie from Innermost Gardens, Fabricio Chicca and Bliss Graetz from Victoria University and Brittany Rymer formerly from Wellington City Council. You can hear more about the project on this Radio New Zealand interview.

Over the course of the project a number of people have aided our efforts with their guidance and counsel. They include Margaret Earle, Mark Noyes, Ali Whitton, Amy Bird and Kat Greenbrook.