Wish Garden Project

We want WISH is to be a place where people can become more mentally, emotionally, and physically resilient in these uncertain times. We’re striving to be a best practice NGO in the mental health sector. Facilitating ‘garden to table’ is a key part of this journey.  

Our developing gardens span our two adjacent properties (55 and 57 Bay Rd, Ostend Waiheke Island).  

A Foundation North grant helped us to  

• commission a landscape plan from Daphne Mitten  

• cover initial project costs and materials including four raised garden beds, soil, fruit trees and tools.  

Our garden to table philosophy includes recycling and zero waste. We’ve started large scale composting, bokashi composting and worm farms.  

During the covid pandemic, the Ministry of Social Development agreed to support our ‘participation and inclusion’ gardening/social enterprise initiatives by funding a garden manager and chef/nutritionist to promote food secure communities.  

So far, the gardens comprise  

• four raised kitchen garden beds  

• multiple fruit trees and an extensive array of herbs and vegetables  

• compost and bokashi bins  

• a large chicken Coop  

• a grape pergola & flowering vines  

• several flat garden beds  

See concept plan below…… 

Chicken Coop

Creating Chicken Coop was a big team effort with Simon Field leading the effort. The coop houses six purebred Plymouth Barred Rock chickens who produce beautiful eggs each day.

Nutrition & Cooking

WISH focuses on healthy eating, and we encourage our residents to get involved with cooking. Alex, our nutritional coach and chef, works alongside the residents to develop healthy weekly meal plans, supporting individual goals, all while creating delicious, nutritious meals.

Geneen’s Plant Stall

Geneen (a Wish resident) created a plant stall with the help and support of volunteers and staff. She grows all her own seedlings and plants and has learned how to care for them whilst developing a strong passion for gardening. This has also given her skills and knowledge about how to run a small business, something she can hopefully use in her future endeavors.

Our Compost, Bokashi and Worm Farm

We’ve created a quality composting system with three large compost bins, a successful worm farm and a Bokashi bin. The staff and residents all get to learn how they work and actively take part in this.

Active Participation

See below, our residents get involved with cooking delicious meals at WISH.