It’s been more than two years in the making, but the Ōmanu Community Gardens are finally ready to start building garden beds behind the Port Rescue Centre in Golf Road.

Instigator of the Community Gardens, Brian Dey, says the gardens will soon have about 50 raised garden beds available to local people to rent just as soon as they can be built.

Already 35 people have put their names down to have a bed.

“We realised there are so many people in this area who don’t have anywhere to grow their own fruit and vegetables, especially those living in apartments or on small sections," says Brian.

"With the cost of fresh food soaring it’s really important that people can grow fresh food themselves."

A small group of persistent gardeners have been in negotiations with Tauranga City Council over access to the public reserve where the old bowling club used to be.

“We have had great assistance from Tauranga City Council to help us get going, with some finance towards the building of the garden beds for people to use," says Brian.

"We also have offers of help from businesses, from Scott Shrimpton of Container Shift Ltd providing a container to keep equipment in, to supplies of Tui Garden Products fertiliser and pea straw from Evergreen Gardens.

“We hope to see a thriving garden area that everyone can enjoy, providing a sense of community and a place where people can share their gardening knowledge as well as produce."

The group would like to be able to provide excess produce to local foodbanks, and share fruit, herbs and vegetables once the gardens start producing.

A garden bed will cost $150 a year to use.

“It’s been a long process, but we hope to have garden beds built and ready to plant within the next few weeks. We’d love to have offers of gardening tools, seeds, fertiliser - and especially a lawnmower,” says Brian.

Anyone who wants to reserve a garden bed, or who has useful garden items to share, can contact Brian on 021 167 2669.