A plot of land in Maude St will soon be a thriving garden.
Temuka Community Garden chairwoman Steph McCullough has been been trying to establish a community garden since she had the idea four years ago.
Mrs McCullough said the community had a social and economic need for it.
However, finding a suitable site had been ‘‘a nightmare’’.
Co-organiser Tracy Iles Leith had come on board last year.
Ms Iles Leith said the group had the support of the Temuka Foodbank, as fresh produce for the foodbank was hard to come by.
There was no need to be an experienced gardener, as all were invited.
Mrs McCullough said people who were lonely, but had no gardening skills, could come down and put seeds in a bag.
When crops were available they would be shared, and those who participated in the gardens would get the ‘‘first dibs’’, she said.
The group were aiming to raise money for the fencing.
While they had been given deer fencing, the group had a quote for things like wood, nails, screws and uprights — which were at trade prices — that had come to $8600.
Ms Iles Leith said that quote did not include labour.
Temuka Geraldine Rotary had offered to help out with erecting the fence, as it had access to post diggers.
The Temuka Menzshed had already built five raised vegetable beds and Sullivan Contracting had offered a digger to help landscape the site, so they were feeling very thankful.
The only problem they had left was ‘‘simply a water problem’’.
As there was no set day for water connections being sorted — and it was potentially more than a month away — they could not begin planting.
‘‘It would seem a bit pointless planting stuff if we can’t water it,’’ Ms Iles Leith said.
However, not planting anything until water was running would affect how many vegetables people would be able to take home on Christmas Day.
She remained hopeful someone or some business might loan them some type of water tank that would suit in the meantime.
‘‘We can’t grow a garden without water.’’
