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Pop-up Community Garden

Tuesday 22 November 2011, 12:54PM

By Wellington City Council

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Kilbirnie's pop-up community garden
Kilbirnie's pop-up community garden Credit: Wellington City Council

WELLINGTON CITY

The weather didn't dampen the spirits at a planting party for Wellington's first 'pop-up' community garden in Kilbirnie.

The pop-up garden temporarily converts unused space into community gardens. The aim is to test design strategies for urban agriculture and to get more residents growing their own vegetables.

Around 40 people braved the elements on 12 November to plant vegetable seedlings at the pop-up garden located on a small piece of Council land - a drainage 'easement' - between Ross and Yule streets.

Project leader Amanda Yates says the garden will remain there for three months.

"All of the plants we're planting are organic and heritage plants, including tomatoes, cucumber, peas, chard and lettuce. At the end of the three-month project the planter boxes and plants will go to other community gardens in Kilbirnie and Lyall Bay."

The pop-up garden is a project led by Massey University with help from Wellington City Council, local gardeners and Lyall Bay School. The pop-up garden concept is a response to our recently agreed 'Towards 2040: Smart Capital' strategy, which defines the key directions for Wellington towards 2040.

The Council's Social Portfolio Leader, Councillor Stephanie Cook, says she hopes the pop-up garden will be a way to connect the community in Kilbirnie.

"It was great to see so many residents, especially children, down at the garden getting their hands dirty, helping out with the planting," she says.

"This is a small, but important and exciting part of the wider revitalisation plan for the area."

The pop-up garden will be cared for by local gardeners and Lyall Bay School but Kilbirnie residents are encouraged to come along to gardening sessions and free workshops. Times and dates can be found at the project's blog site:

Kilbirnie Pop-up Garden website

Wellington's next pop-up garden will sprout in Civic Square on 28 January.