Retirees cultivate food and friendship in the resident-led project
In the heart of a new retirement village on the Hibiscus Coast, something other than fruit and vegetables is growing in the Community Garden.
The garden is often a flurry of activity with many residents up to their wrists in well-fertilised soil, freshly planted seedlings, or pausing to chat as they strip off a layer in the humid, steaming glasshouses. But the Community Garden has also become a place of purpose, camaraderie, and connection, and residents are thriving alongside the plants.
“For many of our residents, the Community Garden has come to represent the importance of contributing to something greater than themselves. It’s how a generation of New Zealanders were raised and it’s wonderful to see those values shining through,” says Alan Edwards, a partner at The Botanic Silverdale.
Many of the retirees at The Botanic grew up in the shadow of a global conflict. They were born in challenging circumstances in the aftermath of World War II when New Zealand, like much of the world, was slowly emerging from the economic catastrophe of a deeply impactful and traumatic era in our country’s history.
Some residents were only toddlers in the 1950s, but the rapid social and economic transformation that followed in the post-war years shaped many of their hard-working parents, and their Baby Boomer children learnt resourcefulness, resilience, and the importance of putting in a solid day’s work from a very young age.
Almost eight decades have passed since the end of World War II, but those personal qualities and values play out authentically in the Community Garden every week. The Botanic has only been in development since 2020, but the foundation residents have left an indelible mark on the Hibiscus Coast village.
“We asked the residents if they would like to have some input into the development of the Community Garden, and we didn’t have to ask them twice. It appears we have a lot of experienced gardeners in our village,” says Edwards.
From the first set of plans, The Botanic’s architects factored in a space for the Community Garden and development finally began late in 2023. New residents were encouraged to have their say on how the Garden should be planted, tended and managed. According to Edwards, the rest is history.
The Community Garden has become a resident-led project encompassing two 26sq m ‘Winter Gardenz’ glasshouses, a native timber pergola, 24 individual planter boxes, and an edible orchard of fruit trees and vines including persimmon, citrus, feijoa, fig, grape, berries, stone fruits, apple, and avocado.
“The resourcefulness of our residents is remarkable. They asked for some soil and a few tools, and away they went,” says Edwards.
The residents quickly established a committee, and the Community Garden is now wholly run by residents, for residents. Most weeks, fresh fruit and vegetables are harvested and offered for sale to residents at the village’s restaurant, The Clubhouse Cafe.
“Our construction team help out if the residents need any building work around the garden or in the BBQ area, but the gardens are completely in the hands of our residents and that’s their choice. It’s wonderful”.
Alan Ferguson is the chair of the Community Garden committee and says the garden has become a calm and welcoming environment which fosters companionship and connection among the residents.
“Many of us have been gardening for years so we bring all of that experience into one place, and everybody benefits.”
Residents began planting back in autumn, and the planter boxes and glasshouses are now flush with the fruits of their labour. Brassica vegetables, onions, and glasshouse tomatoes have all grown well in the winter months and the spring planting is well underway.
“What I am most proud of is that this project has been driven by our residents. They told us what they wanted, they made recommendations about some of the fruit trees, and look what they’ve created,” says Edwards.
In summer, residents will be able to host friends and family for barbeques in the Community Garden area for the first time.
“You will literally be able to go from garden to plate. It really is a wonderful addition to our village,” says Edwards.
To find out more about The Botanic, click here