Te Maara Parish Community Garden
The well established community gardens are tucked away in the grounds of St Columba Church behind the church's community centre.
We are a small, co-operative group of dedicated gardeners with an emphasis on edibles. The gardens are wholly organic with no artificial sprays or fertilisers used.
We are always looking for keen volunteers. Please do get in touch through the St Columba
More on St Columba
The church puts on the community haakari (lunch) every week for around 60 people. The community lunch has been provided since 2017 and St Columba, with its open-door policy and warm welcome, has become a second home for dozens of people in our local community, many of whom face challenges and appreciate the support to make ends meet.
Kiwi Harvest, the food rescue company, has supported St Columba in this venture since its earliest days, delivering fresh produce and groceries for distribution to the lunch guests each week.
To support this and other activities at St Columba, Clay Works Potters’ Market is held every May on Mothers’ Day weekend – a pottery showcase, a fundraiser for St Columba, and a pottery buyers’ heaven.
Community Gardens
Over the years there have been three community gardens in the area.
Sanctuary Gardens threatened with destruction
Media Release – 10 December 2024 Charitable society vs Crown legal case has implications for property rights in NZ A community-based charitable society Sanctuary Gardens,is taking the Crown to court to protect a caveat on land the Crown is trying to develop despite agreeing to its protection. This issue has major implications for property rights…
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Saint Columba – Community Garden
St Columba Anglican Church and community Centre in Grey Lynn shares its beautiful facilities and grounds with the community. Since June 2017, St Columba has provided a hot lunch every Friday for people from the local community. Food is donated, supported by volunteers. The free meals are supplemented by Food rescue sources such as Kiwi…
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Wilton St Community Garden: End of an Era
A very special era has come to an end with the closure of Wilton Street Community Garden. Sarah Guppy who took over coordinating the garden from founder Mandy McMillan writes about why the time has come to close the garden down. For over five years the Wilton Street Community garden transformed a piece of land…
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Community Gardens Update
Freemans Bay community garden working bee in July the Matariki star cluster is high in the sky and we are half way through a month-long celebration marking the beginning of the new year in Maori culture. Also known as Pleiades or The Seven Sisters, Matariki coincides with the winter solstice in the southern hemisphereAs a…
Read MoreGrey Lynn Community Gardens
Hidden in the grounds of St Columba Church behind the community hall on Surrey Cres you can find the Grey Lynn Community Gardens. We are a small, co-operative group of dedicated gardeners with an emphasis on edibles. The gardens are wholly organic with no artificial sprays or fertilisers used. We compost, have worm farms and seed…
Read MoreFruit trees for Grey Lynn
In 2010 Mandy McMullin, on behalf of Grey Lynn 2030, successfully won the support of the old Western Bays Community Board to fund a community orchard on Francis Street reserve. Although the project didn’t go ahead as the soil was found to be too contaminated for fruit trees, Grey Lynn 2030 received the remaining funds…
Read MoreCommunity food under threat
Unique to the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market is the community trading table. Back garden growers can bring their excess produce to sell at the table. It works on an honesty box system. Bundle, label and price your produce to leave at the table with a container for coins. Come back at the end of the…
Read MoreWilton Street Community Garden thank you to the founders
We wish Wilton Street Community Garden founders Mandy McMullin and Dave Gilbert the best of luck in there move to the new orchard (and home)in the garden of Eden. Your constant passion has given birth to a flourishing haven for bird,bee and community in Wilton Street and beyond. From humble beginings of a jungle infested…
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Community gardens tour and composting workshop
Sunday 2nd October 11am – 12 midday COMPOSTING WORKSHOP and TOUR OF WILTON STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN Meet the gardeners, check out the community compost, worm farm, bee hive and garden at Wilton Street Community Garden. Sit under the trees and enjoy the garden. 12 midday – Break for lunch and time to check out…
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