Community Nursery Open Friday 24 April 26
After a few weeks closed the Nursery will be open again for volunteers on Friday 24th April - hope to see you there.
Prior to closure for Easter, we had a 2 day NMIT Native Plant ID Course at the Nursery, run by tutor Jenny Ladley. A mix of plant exercises, outside work and lecture presentations were held for the 9 people attending and the Nature Centre proved again to be a good venue for these courses where a mix of inside and outside learning was readily accessible.
If you are interested in any of the courses NMIT hold then book in and when they get a number of people for one region they will organise a course at our venue. So far we have had “5 minute bird counts”, “animal pest trapping” and “Native plant ID” courses held here (generally in summer!). Here is a link to their website information for the Plant ID Course - https://www.nmit.ac.nz/study/short-courses/cfs423-plant-identification
Following Easter we attended a book launch in Akaroa for the book “Hinewai Reflections - Artwork of Hugh Wilson”. It was a good chance to catch up with Hugh and see all the progress on Banks Peninsula that Hugh at Hinewai has inspired. We visited Edith’s large QEII covenant at Hickory Bay and the adjoining Ellengowan Reserve as well as a full day at Hinewai itself. It is astonishing how the entire Banks Peninsula had previously been cleared of native vegetation down to 1 % but is now up to 26% thanks to people like Edith and many others buying and protecting land for conservation.
Also on the agenda was a visit to Tai Tapu Sculpture garden – if you haven’t been its highly recommended for lovers of native plantings (including many rarities) and amazing sculptures, all in an outdoor setting.
For the Nursery Fridays over coming weeks we will be trying to complete our seed collecting, cleaning, and eventually sowing for next seasons bounty and of course planting out before the frosts take hold.
Hope to see you at the Nursery on a Friday or other days, if you want plants, by arrangement (email or phone or txt Chris on 021660361).
We will also be doing an apple pressing one Friday afternoon soon, so collect your apples, put them in the freezer in preparation. We wont have a chipper so only previously frozen apples can be pressed for juice. Watch this space for a date.
Nga mihi
Chris and Brian
Posted: 22 April 2026