The Shared Garden - Learning and Growing Together Term 1

The Shared Garden

A welcoming, community garden programme where we share knowledge, build wellbeing, and connect through the seasons.

With guidance from the Maramataka Calendar (planting by the moon cycle).

Mondays 5.00 - 6.00pm and Fridays 9.00 - 11.00am

***Feel free to come along to any sessions that suit you - below is the weekly programme***

Please Note: No session Friday 6 Feb (Waitangi Day) OR Monday 23 March (Otago Anniversary Day)

Weekly Programme Overview 

WEEK 1:

Mon 19 Jan Whakawhanaungatanga, intro to Maramataka, observing the garden, sharing prior knowledge

Fri 23 Jan Garden walk, observing soil, heat & moisture, light cultivating & tidying

Weekly Focus - Observation & grounding

WEEK 2: 

Mon 26 Jan Understanding preparation phases, soil health, planning tasks together

Fri 30 Jan Composting, mulching, bed preparation, AKO sharing

Weekly Focus - Preparation & readiness (New Moon)

WEEK 3:

Mon 2 Feb Planning above-ground planting, crop care, wellbeing check-in

Fri 6 Feb  – No session Waitangi Day

Weekly Focus - Growth & prolific phase

WEEK 4:

Mon 9 Feb “Cultivate only” phases, care over expansion, food-use kōrero

Fri 13 Feb Weeding, cultivating, harvesting greens & herbs, shared kai

Weekly Focus - Care & cultivation

WEEK 5:

Mon 16 Feb Harvesting, pruning, seed saving discussion, reflection

Fri 20 Feb Harvesting for storage, pruning, seed saving

Weekly Focus - Harvest & letting go (Last Quarter)

WEEK 6:

Mon 23 Feb Soil as a living system, planning autumn preparation

Fri 27 Feb Composting, worm tea/liquid feed, bed prep

Weekly Focus - Reset & soil care (New Moon)

WEEK 7:

Mon 2 Mar Planning autumn crops, frost awareness, seasonal shifts

Fri 6 Mar Planting suitable above-ground autumn crops, supporting summer crops

Weekly Focus - Autumn planting

WEEK 8:

Mon 9 Mar Group reflection on learning & wellbeing

Fri 13 Mar Harvesting, garden tidy-up, shared kai

Weekly Focus - Reflection & consolidation

WEEK 9:

Mon 16 Mar Preparing for closure, reflecting on Maramataka learning

Fri 20 Mar Final harvesting, pruning, preparing garden for cooler months

Weekly Focus - Harvest & preparation for closure

Whakakapi - Conclusion

Fri 27 Mar Final tidy-up, celebration, shared kai

Mon 30 Mar Closing kōrero, reflection, next steps

Weekly Focus - Closure, celebration & continuity