The community garden at Banks Hall Reserve in Mount Maunganui is officially open – and there is already a waiting list for plot space.

The garden on May Street in Mount Maunganui opened yesterday after being approved for construction by Tauranga City Council in September last year.

Anne Gourley, coordinator of Otumoetai community gardens, and Mount Lions chairman Brian Dey.

The Mount Maunganui Lions led project has been years in the making, and chairman Brian Dey says despite the long wait for approval everything is happening rather quickly now.

'Well it's probably actually taken a few years. But once we got things going it was very quick. From the 17^th of November to get to where we are now - it's pretty amazing.”

Brian says as soon as the garden received council approval the 36 plots sold immediately. He says there is a waiting list for people who want plots – but for now, there is always the option of sharing.

People enjoy the official opening of the Mount Maunganui community garden. Photos by Tracy Hardy.

'A lot of people share. I'm sharing with Tony. We've got plot number one over there and we've got half each.”

Another four plots may be added to the garden, but Brian says there is no plan to fill up the entire garden.

'I don't think so. I think this is very controllable now.”

He is more focused on building a worm farm and propagation area in the garden so people can grow their own seeds.

'We're going to grow our own seeds next year.”

The garden was established to give the community a space to grow their own produce, says Brian.

He says a community garden brings everyone together.

'I think in the first place it's actually the desire to grow stuff. People like growing stuff. They get great pleasure out of seeing those beans come up, or those peas come up, then people keep coming in here every day to water to make sure it happens and then they get talking.

'There's a lot of passing backwards and forwards and sharing of knowledge of seeds and plants and food, it' been great.

'It's been proven with research here and overseas that when people do this sort of thing it's very healthy for the community.”