Garden Name: Apocalypse Gardens

Address: Hikurangi

Property Description: Apocalypse Gardens is a very impressive four year old garden that spans over 3 acres full of subtropical edible plants. The property was previously grazing paddocks on clay soil and was then extensively mulched to cover and smother the grass. Once the mulch broke down this created the rich soil ready for planting. There are a huge number of species planted alongside subtropical landscaping in order to create their own piece of paradise. Banana plantations, pip and stone orchard, citrus orchard, berry houses, mediterranean edibles within a food forest, feijoa collection, banana/papaya forests and more. If you have clay soils and want to see what can be achieved then this amazing property is the place for you.

Talks/Demonstrations:

Using mulch to transform clay into rich plant ready soil: Saturday 12pm

Growing and seed sowing by the moon: Sunday 3pm

Garden Name: Land of the Lotus Watergardens & Banana Park

Address: Maungatapere

Property Description: Land of the Lotus Watergardens & Banana Park is a 57 acre tropical oasis with bananas, pineapples, lotus and other tropical edible plants. The property has over 30 varieties of banana, a pineapple plantation, lotus pond and possibly the largest lotus collection in Northland. People are free to walk around the property which includes a 10 acre lake. The property also includes a children's playground and accommodation is available on-site. A spectacular property that should not be missed.

Talks/Demonstrations: Visitors are welcome to walk around this wonderful property.

Garden Name: Phufar Orchard

Address: Maungatapere

Property Description: Phufar Orchards grow and produce mushrooms which are sold at the Whangarei Growers markets & Waipu street market. Mushroom growing started as a small hobby for Tann who used to grow and eat many different varieties of mushrooms in her home country of Thailand. This hobby has turned into a business with many different varieties of mushrooms such as Native NZ oyster mushroom ( Plurotus Pulmonarius, Plurotus Australis and Grey oyster), Shiitaket both NZ variety and approved import strain from MPI, NZ hericium aka Coral tooth and Tawaka or Poplar mushroom being grown on site. As well as mushrooms Phufar orchards also have an avocado orchard and the prunings from the trees are mulched and used as part substrate for the mushrooms which are mainly grown by barley straw and hardwood sawdust. Garden trail participants are welcome to view the mushroom setup and growing environment. Fresh mushrooms will also be able to be purchased on site.

Talks/Demonstrations: Tann will show visitors her mushroom setup and growing environment

Garden Name: Old Wheelbarrow Farms

Address: Maungatapere

Property Description: Old Wheelbarrow Farms is located next to Phufar Orchards and opposite Land of the Lotus and is a market garden with a weekly stall at the Whangarei Farmers Market. Caleb and family are developing a sustainable lifestyle property and continually developing and planting their property with edible crops. 150 bananas have been planted along with a large orchard, giant pumpkins and multiple rows of berries and veges with excess produce sold at the markets. They are also involved in a school lunch program utilizing the waste product and composting the lunch boxes. They would like to share their vision of sustainable living with the public to hopefully encourage others to give it a go.

Talks/Demonstrations: Visitors are welcome to explore this property.

Garden Name: Nuwayeh Farmstead

Address: Hikurangi

Property Description: Saba and family moved onto a 2.5 acre bare block of flat clay soil in Hikurangi which was being grazed by cattle in January 2017. Since then they have developed a year-round 400+ square meter vegetable garden surrounded by a kaykuyu barrier which integrates the chook yard as part of their defence mechanism. They are spray-free and make their own complete organic fertiliser and a 2 year composting system which is then spread around the numerous garden beds with fantastic results. The soil has improved from cracking dry clay in summer and muddy slush in winter to friable workable soil which allows direct planting of seeds into prepared beds. They also have an orchard that is 3-5 years old and most trees are in their first year of production. Native trees are used as wind barriers and bananas are thriving on their wastewater treatment field. They are currently aiming for year-round production of fruit and vegetables with enough surplus to swap and gift. This is a thriving edible garden and is proof that clay soil can be turned into fruit/veges with the right approach.

https://www.instagram.com/saba_matt_sami_sage_nz/

Talks/Demonstrations: No formal talk/demonstration however Matt and Saba are happy to talk about their composting system

Garden Name: Nadia’s Whole Garden

Address: Glenbervie

Property Description: Nadia started her organic garden in 2020 selling direct from the farm to customers and providing nutrient dense and really great tasting food. This has grown to 1000 square meters of market gardens growing a complete range of vegetables that change with the seasons. There is also a 180 square meter greenhouse which has traditional italian heirloom tomatoes and eggplants. Every month the garden evolves and changes to perfectly fit it's very own microclimate. There are 40 chickens, 8 honey bee hives and a bumblebee hive as well. The aim of the farm is to work with nature rather than against it, that is true from the chickens, bees and no-dig market garden - everything plays a role

Talks/Demonstrations: Visitors are welcome to walk around the gardens.

Garden Name: Willowwisp

Address: Woodhill

Property Description: With increasing home and land prices Vanessa settled on a 500sqm property in central Whangarei in 2014 where she has managed to be almost self-sufficient in fruit/veges as well as keep chickens. She tries to manage everything organically and has a rainwater tank with approx 25 different fruit trees and 7 different garden beds. This is a wonderful edible garden property and if you like neat, tidy and orderly then this property is definitely for you!

Talks/Demonstrations: Informal tours of the property

Garden Name: Jones Cottage Garden

Address: Kensington

Property Description: This wonderful edible garden is a small city unit with the outside devoted to growing edible fruit and veges. The cottage garden is ever forming and changing with flowers, organic vegetables, fruit trees and traditional boxed vegetable gardens. The orchard has a Belgium Espalier with six plum trees, apples and pears are espaliered and other dwarf varieties are used. A total of 45 fruit trees on a 400m section - avocados, apples, pears, plums, apricots, nectarines, peaches, guava, oranges, mandarin, lemon, tangelo, feijoas, passionfruit, grapes, strawberries, blueberries and currants. There is also room for 2 chickens on the property and numerous vege beds. This is a beautiful garden and the work of a passionate gardener and shows what can be grown on a small city property.

Talks/Demonstrations: Visitors are welcome to walk through this property.

Garden Name: Pawpaws, passionfruit and pickles on Punga Grove

Address: Riverside

Property Description: Blair and Daniela have spent the last 10 years turning their ½ acre property into a sub-tropical paradise filled with fruit and veges. The property originally consisted of one grapefruit tree and two red guavas and now has over 40 fruit trees, grape vines, passionfruit, paw paws, extensive vege gardens and July-2021 saw the addition of a 10m tunnel house. The garden beds are fully irrigated via mains water and the tunnel house is irrigated with a rainwater collection system. An old Jewish cookbook is used each year for pickled gherkins and tomato sauce is always made with the excess produce and over 800 bunches of grapes were eaten and given away last year. This is a city garden where each piece of usable land has been planted with fruit and veges.

Talks/Demonstrations: Visitors are welcome to walk around the property

Garden Name: Graeme Kettle

Address: Oromahoe

Property Description: Graeme has been experimenting with Permaculture and other organic growing methods, such as Biodynamics and Hua Parakore (Maori Organics), for over 15 years. Over the last 3 years at Oromahoe, Graeme, his partner Debbie and her mother Jackie have created edible landscapes where their young children free range, where wildlife is welcome, and where the Mauri (life energy) flourishes.

They have developed diverse productive food forests and sustainable garden

systems that can thrive through a drought without the use of irrigation or town water supply. Their food forests sustained the family of 5 within just 1 year. They grow most of their own fruit and vegetables and have built up strong community gift economy networks such as crop swaps. They are passionate seed savers, particularly of heritage varieties.

They have a Hundertwasser designed composting toilet and are working toward becoming a zero waste household. There is a lot to learn from their gardens, set amongst some lovely rock walls.

Talks/Demonstrations: 'Working with Kikuyu' - Sunday 2pm

'Permaculture Food Forests' - Sunday 3pm - 4pm

Garden Name: Simon and Nadege

Address: Waimate North

Property Description: A place for relaxation and to get off the grid! All set within an environment restored to its natural beauty, designed to create an ecological environment for wildlife whilst using the resources available locally in a sustainable and innovative way. This property includes wildflower glades, several fenced off orchard areas,

horse grazing paddocks, gravity fed irrigation from springs and waterways,

permaculture productive gardens and lots more! On-site accommodation is available for this property. (Down to Earth NZ | Facebook)

Talks/Demonstrations: Informal tours of the property

Garden Name: Vicky and Ian Barrett

Address: Kerikeri

Property Description: Vicky and Ian settled in Kerikeri Feb 2019 setting up the kitchen and herb garden near the house and preparing the ground for the orchard with herbal leys. 1 year later a second vege garden was established using companion planting in guilds. There’s a mix of subtropical, native and Mediterranean planting still evolving. Vicky has a background of 15 years in landscape Design and 5 yrs renovating and facilitating a Community Garden for a charitable trust with 80 volunteers weekly in Auckland.

Our Kerikeri garden is an expression of fun and creativity, our retirement dream from which I'm passionate about holding workshops, sharing organic food growing skills. Ian is developing his humorous succulent garden and uses our garage as a art studio to play with paint. Our berm on Sheperd Rd has become an experience for walkers as veges, emerge amongst a dry Mediterranean planting plus fruit in years to come for picking as one passes by.

Talks/Demonstrations: Sheetmulching workshop Sunday 1 - 2pm