Located at the Kilbirnie end of the Leonie Gill walk way the gardens occupy a block of land which the Wellington City Council has allowed us use free of charge. We wish to respect this gift by mutually understood care taking. As part of our commitment to this we aspire to make it a shared garden space where we can continue to learn, share our knowledge and to grow healthy food that helps sustain us and our families.
In 1993 the Operation Green Thumb was initiated by a group of active gardeners who’s purpose was to create a community of gardeners growing organic vegetables. Most of the gardens are situated at council flats with tenants having individual plots at Granville, Newtown Park and Booth Street flats. There are two public areas available – Owhiro/Tanera Park, Brooklyn and Kilbirnie Gardens on the corner of Endeavour Street and Queens Drive.
These four community gardens are linked through the Wellington Community Gardens network. The network was developed through a project funded by WCC and administered through the Sustainability Trust in 2007. Of these four gardens Innermost and Commonground [support] wider educational aims and hold workshops around permaculture and sustainability. Some combined workshops have been held including two on rongoa (natural healing). These two groups have formal structures (incorporated societies with constitutions) while Operation Green Thumb is more specifically focused. Arlington Gardens has the potential to become a community garden but currently has a local neighbourhood base.
background on Operation Green Thumb: http://salient.org.nz/2011/03/operation-green-thumb-ahakoa-he-iti-he-pounamu/
The Endeavour Street Garden in Kilbirnie has undergone many iterations over the years. About 2 years ago Operation Green Thumb ceased to exist, due to the reasoning that all the community gardens it established around Wellington and the Hutt Valley were now self sufficient, ‘mainstreamed’. Funds from Lotteries Commission also withdrawn. We were always the allotment model, but the concept of community was that anyone could join in. We continue that concept albeit on our own two feet now. We make our own rules, collectively with the coordinator at our meetings and in email or text exchanges.
The Endeavour Street Garden in Kilbirnie has undergone many iterations over the years. About 2 years ago Operation Green Thumb ceased to exist, due to the reasoning that all the community gardens it established around Wellington and the Hutt Valley were now self sufficient, ‘mainstreamed’. Funds from Lotteries Commission also withdrawn. We were always the allotment model, but the concept of community was that anyone could join in. We continue that concept albeit on our own two feet now. We make our own rules, collectively with the coordinator at our meetings and in email or text exchanges.
A big thank you to Katie Irwin who is the Neighbourhood and Community Advisor for Community Services Ratonga Whanaungatanga Hapori at Wellington City Council for updating us on the information below.
Endeavour Street Garden 