It was all hands on deck as friends, families and neighbours got together for a major planting effort at Richmond’s Langdale Reserve.
Residents approached us a while ago to develop the area which had previously been a pond. They asked for a neighbourhood meeting place and for a sensory garden to be planted.
Sensory gardens are designed to stimulate one or more of the five senses of sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch.
So late last year we got the project underway with the hard landscaping going in and we waited until this planting season to get the plants in.
On a Saturday a few weeks ago, under the guidance of our contractor Nelmac Kūmānu and our reserves team, dozens of people, young and old, were on the tools planting a myriad of plants and shrubs to enhance the reserve.
Plants that went into the ground included lavender and flowering fragrant shrubs, fruit trees including apples, pears and citrus, and there are even strawberries and textured groundcovers. Seating and signage are yet to be installed.
Thanks to the staff from Nelmac Kūmānu who gave up their Saturday to help with the planting mission and provide a fantastic barbecue.
The new Langdale Reserve has been planted to develop and move with the seasons to provide year-round changes.