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Over the past year, three Franklin women have brought life back into the gardens outside Pukekohe Hospital.
Nearby resident Diane Evans said she was sorry to see the state of the rose gardens outside Pukekohe Hospital. She approached Chris Futter about restoring the gardens.
Chris Futter, Gaye Cooper, and Cherie Thom first began tackling the project last autumn, despite plans to wait until spring.
It was a bigger task than Futter initially anticipated, with 10 garden beds on site.
“About 80 per cent of the roses were dead or dying, and there were lots of weeds. So, the first step was to get rid of all the dead plants and tackle the weeding,” Futter said.
She said the group worked hard to source funding for the project, also taking donations of manure, tools, and plants.
“We went to all the community groups we are members of and also approached local businesses. My mother donated a wheelbarrow, along with a compost bin and tools. The Tree Ninja donated two truckloads of mulch, and Tuakau MenzShed made us a second compost bin. Jamieson Park also donated horse manure, and Mitre 10 donated 15 carpet roses.”
A total of $2000 was raised for the project through the combined efforts of members from the Onewhero/Pukekohe Garden Group, Franklin Food and Wine, Onewhero 9-hole Ladies Golfers, and Basesix Pilates. Ararimu Women’s Institute also donated to the cause.
The work continues each Thursday morning at the gardens, and any individuals, groups, or businesses keen to donate to the ongoing project can email futtermalchris@gmail.com.
