‘Meat and Two Veggies’ a winner

Media Release
8 December 2008

‘Meat and Two Veggies’ a winner

Manukau City Council's garden in the recently-concluded Auckland Flower Show has won four top awards.

The council's garden, "Meat and two Veggies" competed in the Kiwi Back Gardener category, and won a gold for best design, a silver for lighting, a merit for construction and best in show green award.

This garden emphatically conveys a strong message about sustainability for the Kiwi back gardener, the award citation said.

"It does this through the abundance of organically grown edible plants grown and supported in innovatively constructed ways using sustainable materials.

"The demonstration of productive beehives and the challenging opportunity to grow and even harvest live eels are inspiring elements.

"Together with the composting and worm farm, this compact yet simply dramatic garden bursts with passion for the 'green' message."

The 36sqm garden (equivalent of a double garage) was built to show what can be achieved within a small space of a Kiwi backyard. It produces vegetables and meat, and provides a sense of achievement while contributing to a more sustainable environment.

The sustainable garden includes dense companion planting to assist in repelling insect and pest attack, says Robert Findlay, manager parks recreation for Manukau Parks. "It raises all vegetable plants from seed and recycles household and garden waste through composting.

"The beehive collects at least 15kg of honey for the family annually. The bees help pollinate fruits and flowers.

"The eel tank is a source of fresh food for the family and a valuable source of nutrients from the waste to be returned to the environment."

The award-winning garden will be transplanted to a Manukau park as part of the recently-launched Growing For Health project - a Manukau Parks initiative that provides practical gardening classes in Papatoetoe and Mangere.

ENDS

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