Community Gardens - Bringing People Together

GardeningCommunitySustainability
Written By Sustainable Taranaki

Community gardens and orchards are wonderful resources. Whether you have no garden at home but would like to grow food, or want to get to know people, the following organisations are for you!

FIND TARANAKI COMMUNITY GARDENS AND ORCHARDS BELOW ↓

Map of Taranaki’s Community Gardens. Full list with addresses and contact details below!

Establishing community gardens promotes an environmentally and socially just food system that benefits all. If you’ve always wanted to grow your own flowers, fruits, vegetables, and herbs here’s your opportunity!

Read about Food Resilience - Let’s Talk About It to learn more about food security in Taranaki.

For further information please email us at info@sustainabletaranaki.org.nz

List of Taranaki Community Gardens & Orchards

Growing veges, fruits and the community…

North Taranaki:

Find below: Coastal Taranaki, Stratford, South Taranaki and the Community Orchards.

A working bee at the Marfell Māra - Community Garden.

  • Glenpark Ave Community Garden - New Plymouth

This small Huatoki walkway garden was founded by a group of activated neighbours, igniting a passion for neighbourly sharing and connectivity.

Working bees are held on the second Sunday of each month 2pm - 4pm. Come and join in! Everyone is welcome. For more information, get in touch with Erin Flanigan (email below).

Address: Huatoki Walkway, between 29 & 31 Glenpark Ave
Contact: glenparkorchard@gmail.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/glenparkavecommunitygarden

North Point Community Garden - Bell Block

The garden has a variety of vegetables, citrus, stone fruit, vines, nuts and herbs. Gardeners on site most Saturday mornings. Working Bees occasionally.

Address: 116 Mangati Rd, Bell Block (located at the end of the carpark).
Contact: Visit Northpoint Church website here.

  • New Start Gardens - New Plymouth

    Newstart Garden grows organic food which is delivered to people in need. The various garden sections are run by volunteers and are a facility for education and community groups. Some produce is sold to fund running costs. The gardens are owned by SDA church. 

    Address: Saxton Rd, New Plymouth 
    Contact: 021 188 5922 
    Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NewstartGarden2015

  • Te Moeone Garden - Tarereare / Katere-ki-te-moana Marae - New Plymouth

The marae garden Te Moeone and its activities strongly align with the Ngāti Tawhirikura hapū aspirations and is a conduit for positive whānau and wider community engagement. Kai/food and kaitiakitanga/guardianship of land and people are primary foundations for positive health and wellbeing of whanau, hapū, iwi and community. 

Address: Kātere Marae 11 Cody Place, Waiwhakaiho New Plymouth 
Contact: Glen Skipper - glen.skipper@gmail.com

  • WISE Community Maara - Waitara

    This community garden supplies the community. Stay in touch on Facebook (see below).

    Address: 97 Mould Street, Waitara
    Contact: Shimmy on 0508 238837
    Facebook group: He Kete Kai o Whaitara

  • St John’s Community Maara - Waitara

    The garden is for the whole community and is free to use, grow and harvest from! Stay in touch on Facebook (see below).

    Address: 41 Domett Street, Waitara
    Contact: Waitara Foodbank Pataka Kai (Facebook page) - waitarapatakakai@gmail.com

Coastal Taranaki:

  • Parihaka Papakāinga - Te Maara Hapori o Parihaka

    Sustainability, Te Reo Māori language revitalisation, collectivity, tino rangatiratanga and peaceful resistance all meld into one at Te Māra Hapori ki Parihaka, the Parihaka community gardens. The garden and food forest support the 3 Marae and community as well as providing a peaceful place to work together, fulfilling the legacy of Tohu Kākahi and Te Whiti o Rongomai of looking after one another and building positive relationships. Regular working bees are held during the year, including Puanga, spring planting and autumn harvest.   

    Address: Mid-Parihaka Road, Parihaka 
    Contact: Emily Bailey - emilybailey297@gmail.com, 021 0376737 
    Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Parihaka

The Parihaka māra during the 2024 Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail.

Stratford:

  • Avon Primary School’s Community Garden - Stratford

    In 2023, Avon Primary School students started their community garden project!

    Address: Corner of Hamlet Street and Warwick Road
    Contact: www.avon.school.nz

South Taranaki:

  • St Mary’s Community Garden - Hāwera

    St Marys Garden was established in April 2022 and is well on its way to becoming a great community garden space!

    A place for workshops, learning and growing together.

    Gardening Sessions: 1st Friday of each month and 2nd Sunday - 1-3pm 

    Address: 101 Collins Street, Hāwera (Saint Mary’s Anglican Church)
    Contact: Tania Eldridge - tania.eldridge@sustainabletaranaki.org.nz
    Facebook page: www.facebook.com/StMarysCommunityGardenHawera

A glimpse of the St Mary’s Community Garden in Hāwera.

  • St George’s Pātea Community Garden - Pātea

St George’s Pātea Community Garden was established in July 2024 and is now an important community garden space: a place for workshops, learning and growing together!

Group Gardening Sessions are on the 1st Wednesday and 3rd Sunday of each month.
Updates on the Facebook page and Sustainable Taranaki Events page.

Address: 33 Egmont Street, Pātea (Saint George’s Anglican Church)
Contact: Tessa Tate - tessa.tate@sustainabletaranaki.org.nz or at 021 063 7327
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/StGeorgesPateaCommunityGarden

  • Manaia Maara Kai

    The Manaia community garden was established by the South Taranaki District Council (STDC) and the Manaia Community Services Group to transform an overgrown, unused parcel of land into a space to grow fruit and vegetables for the community.

    Address: Manaia, behind the Plunket building.
    Contact: Tere - 027 201 9033 - manaiamaarakai@gmail.com 
    Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Manaia-Maara-Kai
    Learn more about the Manaia community garden here.

Community and Accessible Orchards

There are a number of council-managed community orchards in Waitara, New Plymouth and Ōkato:

  • Milne Place Reserve (at end of Milne Place, New Plymouth). 

  • Bayly Road Orchard (top of Bayly Road, New Plymouth). 

  • Brois Street 'Sheppards Bush' Reserve (access via Brois Street, New Plymouth, adjacent to Budleigh Street to street access way). 

  • Barclay Park (access via Strange Street, Waitara beside railway corridor land). 

  • Ōkato Neighbourhood Park (corner Carthew Street and South Road (SH45)). 

Community Fruit Harvesting Taranaki, which organises collections of unwanted fruit for charities, is always looking for volunteers and leaders to initiate a harvest in your local area. They also make jam, chutney, and pickles to preserve the excess produce.

If you know of other community gardens and orchards around Taranaki, please let us know so that we can include them.

Sustainable Taranaki
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