Aunty’s Garden celebrating 20 years of growing delicious foods

Hanui Lawrence in her garden.

Waipatu Marae, located in the sunny region of Hawke’s Bay, has a special garden maintained by Hanui Lawrence, affectionately known as Aunty.

Aunty’s Garden is a beautiful and thriving space that provides fresh produce for the marae’s whānau and the wider community.

Hanui has been tending to this garden for over two decades and has become an important part of the marae’s culture and heritage.

She grew up in Hawke’s Bay and has always had a love for gardening. She inherited this love from her mother, who was also a keen gardener.

When she came up with the idea to plant a garden next to Waipatu Marae, Hanui saw the potential for a thriving garden that could provide fresh produce for the Waipatu whānau. The idea grew from her wonderful imagination into sketches on a piece of paper into this wonderful landscape of pathways like an artist’s design when seen from a birdseye view.

With the support of the marae’s trustees, Hanui began to work on the garden. With the help of the community and interested persons, her whānau and friends, she started by clearing the overgrown weeds and using her piece of paper, her team carved out the whenua with limestone pathways curving around like koru designs.

She then prepared the soil for planting and started to plant a range of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, pumpkins, beans, and strawberries. As the garden began to thrive, Hanui’s vision began to unfold.

Over the years, Aunty’s Garden has become a special place for the whānau of Waipatu Marae and also for the wider community. The garden provides fresh produce for the marae’s kitchen and is also a place for the whānau to gather and learn about traditional gardening practices.

Hanui has been instrumental in passing down her knowledge and skills to members of the community to ensure the garden’s legacy is continued for generations to come.

The impact of Aunty’s Garden extends beyond the marae. The garden has become a symbol of the importance of sustainable and local food production. It has inspired other community gardens in the region, and Hanui has been invited to share her knowledge and experience with many interest groups.

Aunty Hanui’s dedication to Aunty’s Garden has been recognised by the wider community and in 2021 she was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and horticulture.

The award acknowledged her tireless work in promoting traditional gardening practices and her contribution to the wellbeing of the whānau of Waipatu Marae.

Aunty’s Garden has featured in the Tihei Kahungunu insert of Hawke’s Bay Today since June 2015. Through the years Aunty Hanui has shared over 100 recipes and stories, cooking hints, ideas and ways to make exciting dishes using vegetables and fruits from Aunty’s Garden. Numerous fans follow her articles and greet her in the streets in admiration for what she does.

Aunty’s Garden is 20 years old and Aunty Hanui is 20 years older, almost hitting 80 years young. She’s a testament to the power of community and the importance of preserving traditional knowledge and practices. Hanui’s dedication to the garden has created a space that provides fresh produce, educates younger generations, and inspires others in the community.

The garden is a living legacy that will continue to flourish and nourish the whānau of Waipatu Marae and the community for years to come.

A great number of vegetables are donated to Nourish for Nil to give out to whānau and nothing is ever wasted, however those who are able are welcome to come to the māra kai to pick your own vegetables for a kind or generous koha to help support Aunty and her whānau to keep the garden flourishing.

Aunty Hanui acknowledges the many individuals, groups, organisations, church groups, māma groups, and local businesses for all of the contributions and kind donations they have given to support Aunty’s Garden.