2015 Shirley Papanui Edible Gardens "Best Yet"

A record number of entries were a part of this year’s Shirley /Papanui Community Board Edible Garden Awards.

42 entries in four categories were considered by four judges who presented the awards at the Canterbury Horticultural Society Headquarters in Hagley Park last night.

One of the judges Neiel Drain says the edible entries this year were the “best yet” and judges were particularly impressed with the wide variety of fruit, vegetables and herbs.

“There’s clearly a huge amount of knowledge amongst our gardeners,” he told a packed room “and it was most interesting seeing plants like hops not usually seen in gardens, popping up.” Mr Drain also said they saw varieties that they would not have seen in years past.

“Nashi pears, Asian herbs and vegetables – there were a number of gardens that featured what would have been considered unusual varieties, a few years ago,” he said.

The awards started in 2013 as an initiative of the Shirley-Papanui Community Board supported by the Canterbury Horticultural Society.  The board repeated the awards in 2014 with great success and 32 entries were received last year.

Shirley Papanui Community Board Chair, Mike Davidson says the Shirley/Papanui Community Board is committed to encouraging the growth of localised food production.

“Our active and ongoing support for activities and initiatives around edible gardens and fruit forests is helping to build strong and resilient communities. We are also keen to support and grow our relationships with local primary schools championing the next generation to grow their own food, nurture their environment, themselves and others,” he says.

Additional:

Judges: Neiel Drain, David Adams, Michael Coulter (Members Canty. Hort Soc); Elizabeth Peacock (President, Canty Hort. Soc).

Entrants in each categories: 18 residential house (private homes), 5 residential units, 12 schools or early learning centres, 7 community gardens.


Winners announced at the 3rd Sustainable Garden Awards at the Horticultural Society:

Residential House; Reg Williams
Residential Unit; James Cumming and William Cochrane (Joint garden)
School or Early Learning Centre; Paparoa Street School
Community Garden; St Albans Uniting Parish

Every entrant received a certificate, each category had a winner and 3 special judges awards


Potential Stories from the awards:
One of the special award was given to Mary Tingey (committed to these awards since they began) who works as a gardening adviser for Delta Community Gardens and also works with several schools in the Shirley area. She says she is seeing the positive flow through from the primary schools to the intermediates through to high schools, as far as an interest and ability with plants and gardening.

Canty Hort Soc President Elizabeth Peacock also said “we need to get more children involved. Even if it’s a potato in a bucket so they know potatoes don’t come from a supermarket shelf.”

Judges noted the number of new varieties and plantings growing alongside heritage fruit varieties.

The gardens in the community category are providing a large amount of food to many people in their areas (Delta Community Gdns, St Albans Uniting Parish, Packe Street Community Garden) with at least one other large garden producing food for a residential home (Marralomeda Trust in Redwood – four 24 hour live-in residences).

Iris and Jac of Redwood have had their garden for 50 years.

Background (can be attributed to Mike Davidson, Chair of the Shirley/Papanui Community Board):

In the aftermath of the Earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 in Christchurch, the Shirley/Papanui Community Board in 2012, recognised the importance of localised food production and sought to encourage and support the growth of these activities.

The Board believes that the celebration and the encouragement of the development of Sustainable Edible Gardens develops strong resilient communities.

The Sustainable Edible Garden Awards is also a conduit for the continuation and growth of the Boards relationship with local schools, community organisations and local individuals through the support and encouragement of the next generation to grow their own food, nurture the environment, themselves and others.

The partnership with the Horticultural Society ensured that local residents, schools and communities who are passionate about their gardens were valued and supported by the society’s expertise and knowledge

The first awards were held in 2013 and the number of entrants has grown to 42 in 2015.

The current Community Board has continued this initiative and acknowledges the Sustainable Edible Gardens Award in our ward as a wonderful way to celebrate those local residents, schools and communities who are passionate about their gardens and their bountiful harvests.

Last year, the Lyttelton/Mt Herbert Community Board also held their initial Edible Garden Awards. Hopefully these awards will in the future become a City wide celebration of Sustainable Edible Gardening.