Merivale Community Gardens is branching out – into local residents' own backyards.

Merivale Community Gardens coordinator Deb McCarthy says the community garden has been available for four years, and people respect it and use it, so the 'next step is to take it to their backyards.”

Gee and Rawiri Sammons, and Merivale Community Gardens trustee David Harricks. Photo Tracy Hardy

But it's not a set-up and leave sort of project, says Deb. Each backyard garden gets a mentor assigned to come back to the garden on a regular basis, 'at least once a month,” says Deb, to see how the family and the garden are growing.

The first garden, installed last Sunday, went to Gee Sammons and her 10-year-old son Rawiri, as a project they can work on and maintain together.

Gee says it was a 'very emotional” time for her when their garden was installed.

'Seeing my son grow like that… I saw a different side of him.”

Their garden 'looks really good” with a nectarine tree, herbs, berries, beetroot, rhubarb, carrots, rocket lettuce, spring onion and more, says Gee.

She's very thankful for all the effort everyone has put into their garden.

'I'd like to thank everyone, from the bottom of our hearts we'd really, really like to thank everyone.”

The gardens, which are funded by members of the community, will receive raised garden beds, good soil, a compost bin, a worm farm, tools, a fruit tree, and vegetables and seeds to last four seasons.

The families will be taught how to harvest seeds for replanting come next season, and the project is about recycling, too, says Deb.

'The wood surrounds for this garden we're doing on Sunday we found on the side of the road; we're going to paint them up.

'You've got to use your initiative; that's part of the gardener's philosophy, reuse where you possibly can.”

The first garden, planted on March 6, is sponsored by Dr Luke Bradford of Fifth Avenue Doctors.

Luke, a gardener himself, says Deb is one of his patients and he thought it was a great idea because it's a great way to help the community eat healthier.

'It's cheaper to go to Pizza Hutt and buy a $5 family pizza than it is to go to the supermarket and buy fruit and veg, which is absurd.”

Luke is excited for the Sammons family to learn how to sustain their own garden.

'If they can grow their own fruit and vegetables and get interested in it and enjoy the benefits of healthy eating, then that's phenomenal.

'I hope they get into it and enjoy it and enjoy the vegetables. I'm delighted with it going ahead.”

And if they can keep it up, Luke thinks it could be a great thing for the community.

'If we can move as a community to encourage families with help like this, to get into growing their own food, then that's fantastic.”

Deb says the project is aiming to get three gardens in backyards in Merivale, one in Gate Pa, and one in Greerton.

She has one planned in Merivale and one in Gate Pa at the moment, but there are still spaces.

If you or someone you know would like to be considered for the backyards gardens project, or if you're interested in sponsoring or mentoring, email: debmccarthy@slingshot.co.nz