Garden workshop for rugby refugees

Gardeners wanting to escape the rugby excitement on Sunday (11 September) can gather with others to share tips and information on caring for and sowing seeds and seedlings.

A free workshop at Hollard Gardens, Kaponga, will focus on the techniques and advantages of sowing your own seed – how to look after them and know when to plant out your seedlings.

“This year we will experiment with some different techniques of seed sowing to make it simpler for you, and to give the seedlings a better chance at succeeding,” says the Taranaki Regional Council’s Regional Gardens Manager, Greg Rine.

“We’ll also be handing out vegetable contest seed packs (kindly donated by Egmont Seeds) for the Hollard Gardens Harvest Festival to be held on Taranaki Anniversary Day next year.”

The competition packs will be available at public events at Hollard Gardens, Pukeiti and Tupare until December. The resulting vegetables will be judged at the March festival, with gardening prizes on offer.

Sunday’s Hollard Gardens workshop begins at 2pm and runs until 4pm. Bring seeds to swap, any excess punnets and containers up to ice cream size.

The workshop is part of a year-round series of free events at Hollard Gardens, Tupare and Pukeiti, which are owned managed by the Taranaki Regional Council on behalf of the people of the region. All three properties are open daily and entry is free.

For more information, see www.hollardgardens.info, www.pukeiti.org.nz and www.tupare.info. Social media users can also follow the Regional Gardens on Facebook (TaranakiRegionalGardens)and Twitter (@TaranakiRG).