Palmy Homegrown showcases city’s productive backyards
More than 20 Palmerston North gardeners are opening up their backyards to the public over the weekend to showcase their sustainability.
Palmy Homegrown, a new event organised by motherdaughter duo Bronny Ferry and Kaydee Zabelin, will feature some of Palmerston North’s most productive backyards.
Ferry said visitors were going to be “amazed” at what people were growing in the city. “On the trail we have an amazing variety of veggies, fruit, nuts, berries, watering systems, urban beehives, chickens and even a rice paddy.”
She said they took inspiration from the bi-annual RECAP Permaculture Tour and the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Tour.
Ferry and her daughter Zabelin wanted to highlight some of the “incredible” food growing in Palmerston North and were surprised to see the event sell out quickly. The event was about sharing ideas, Ferry said. “I’m always motivated when I see what clever things other people are doing in their gardens.”
For Zabelin, it was about food security in a time when there are continual price hikes, unpredictable shortages and disrupted growing seasons. She was “so grateful” to all the hosts opening up their private spaces to show how much you can do in your backyard.
Norah and Anna Skinner are a mother-daughter duo opening up their backyards to the public.
Anna’s backyard, titled Beautiful Collision, has something for everyone in her family. She loves permaculture concepts which can look a little “wild and unloved” but were mimicking nature, while her wife loved lots of structure, so they have a mixture of both styles. Anna’s mum, Norah, was well known for her garden crammed with fruit and nut trees, berries, vegetables and “hundreds of beneficial flowers”.
“I believe we don’t own our gardens or the plants we grow, it is for everyone to share and enjoy,” Norah said.
Many hosts are getting into the spirit of the event and ticket holders can enjoy high teas, seedling sales and guided tours.