Yates young gardeners

A desire to have their own piece of garden to themselves inspired two young Tikipunga gardeners to get creative and enter a national gardening competition.

Connor (7) and Zac (5) Burgin are one of the winners of the Yates Spring Vegie Growing Challenge  children’s Nature Garden category which involved making a nature friendly  garden that would support a healthy ecosystem.

Mum, Rachael, said her two boys let their imagination run wild and created a wonderful garden and play area on their quarter acre section.
“They commandeered some of my garden and set to work to create a lovely space to play and grow fruit and vegies that they could snack on should they get peckish while outside.  

“We had to move the compost heap as Connor thought it would be a great place to plant some vegies and bee friendly flowers.  Then they ended up completely transforming that part of the garden,” said Rachael.

The boys planted up salad greens and a range of berries, sunflowers and swan plants for the bees and butterflies, hung bird houses in the trees, built a bug hotel and built gnome houses from old tree stumps with each having its own miniature microgreens garden.

They moved the sandpit and slide into a stand of trees and built a tunnel through the trees so they could still play in the shade on hot days.  They also made themselves a naughts and crosses game, painted on a tree stump with stones hand painted as bee and ladybird counters.

“We were all so pleased with what the boys had created that we posted pictures on Facebook and that got a really good response.  So much so that now, Matarau Primary, where I teach, is looking to create a nature friendly garden for the children.

“This has been such a great experience for Connor and Zac.  They spend so much time outdoors and now they’ve got their own patch of garden that they can continue to develop the way they want to,” said Rachael.

Yates marketing manager, Fiona Arthur, said the boys’ creativity and hard work really stood out amongst the entries.“It was wonderful to see Connor and Zac’s enthusiasm for getting into the garden and creating a special area so they could eat and play. 

“It’s been a great competition with all the entrants blogging up a storm, showing off their prize vegies or their creative approaches to using unwanted items.  There has been a lot of learning, sharing and laughs along the way,” said Ms Arthur.

The Yates Spring Vegie Growing Challenge is designed to foster grass roots gardening and bring gardeners together to share their successes, problems and aspirations.

Yates ambassador, Sarah O'Neil (aka Sarah the Gardener), was one of the first winners of the Yates Spring Vegie Growing Challenge and now mentors participants throughout the Challenge.  She went on to become an author, gardening columnist and popular speaker and is passionate about her garden.

The competition is in its sixth year and will run again this September.  To check out the other winners visit:  www.yates.co.nz/vegie-challenge/2017