Gardener Polly gets reprieve from Navy

Polly Pollock at Mary Barrett Glade in Devonport. Photo / Dean Purcell

Polly Pollock, the 82-year-old grandmother who spent 16 years working to create a glade of native trees before being told to quit by the Navy, has won the right to keep tending her trees.

The devonport grandmother turned an illegal rubbish tip on the fringes of a former housing estate into a popular estuary-side jogging and walking track to honour her daughter, who died in 1989.

This year, the Navy, which administers the land, gave her three months notice to stop.

But yesterday, it said it was happy for her to carry on her work "for as long as she is able".

It had revoked Mrs Pollock's licence to use the Lake Rd property as of this month, citing her ill-health, and planned to take over itself.

A statement issued yesterday said Navy officials had changed their minds "following advice that Mrs Pollock's circumstances have now changed" but did not elaborate on what had changed.

Mrs Pollock had earlier said she wanted to keep caring for the land.

She had health problems after a leg operation this year but said last month she was almost back to full health.

The Mary Barrett Glade has won an environmental award and is popular with school groups and tramping clubs.

Mrs Pollock, a widow and grandmother of nine, has also clashed with the North City Council over her pruning of pohutukawa to prevent them getting too big.

Yesterday the Navy said officials would hold meetings with her "to ensure that the long-standing relationship between Mrs Pollock and the Navy is maintained and that the Mary Barrett Glade is managed in accordance with local government requirements."