Wilton St Community Garden Feb 2019

We are lucky to now have threee community gardens in Grey Lynn. The “experts” next to St Columba Church and Kelmarna Garden who have years of experience and flourishing gardens.
We also now have a new garden on Wilton Street directly behind the Gypsy Tearoom and the Wine Vvault. Both the owners of the plots and the lessees have given the enterprise their blessing so ongoing tenure is assured.

The project has been started by a group of neighbours at the top of Wilton Street, including Mandy McMullein, Kate Walshe, and Jacqui Watson and Adele. Mandy, is a landscape architect, and intends to design a plan for the garden which the community could use that might gain sponsorship from various funding sources. This would pay for
soil testing and structures that need to be put in place, such as a fence and a compost bin. A local enterprise that makes compost bins businessman has offered to do any building required at a reduced rate.
There are a few locals already involved  largely from Wilton Street who are keen on the project and have good skills to donate to it. Since they started other people from further afield have contacted the gardeners asking to be involved. All are welcome.

Presently it still looks like a empty section but Ponsonby News spoke to the Mandy and Jacqui who said the plot has already undergone a transformation with a major weed problem tackled. and almost overcome. They’ve hand cleared the site of jasmine that was growing right up into the trees and smothering everything. Although pretty, jasmine is very hard to eradicate
completely and will require ongoing control.

Some kind person has offered them a couple of goats to get rid of it, but that’s an option requiring careful consideration! Might be a bit upsetting for people having a tipple at Gypsy Tea Rooms….

The plan is that members of the community will pull together to create a resource that we can all enjoy. Part of their vision is to have a relaxation area as well, where people can enjoy sitting quietly, they might have street barbeques, or neighbourhood celebrations at festival times.