Our new neighbours and friends curiously asked.
“Um” I stuttered, while my brain raced to find an answer.
All it came up with was “We’re city folk, we’re city folk!!!” but I was too embarrassed to say this out loud.
You see, Paul (my hubby) and I have spent most of our 20-ish years in Aotearoa living slap-bang in central Wellington.
Our city life meant gardening wasn’t really on our radar. Sure, our apartment came with a deck and a narrow little alleyway (exactly one metre wide) that got about 60 minutes of sun in summer - 20 if we were lucky in winter. I tried growing herbs in pots, but let’s just say growing conditions were ‘challenging’
So, as our new neighbours waited with anticipation for our garden plan, my brain repeatedly asked: What are we going to do with the 782 sqm paddock that ‘came with’ our beautiful whare?!?!!
The answer my heart finally said yes to? Nom nom noms (AKA: a garden we can eat)
Fast forward 10 months and Google, YouTube and Insta have become my new besties in the search for people who, unlike us, actually understand how to turn a former sheep paddock into a food oasis.
Out of all the advice I’ve come across
The Edible Backyard by Kath Irvine is my go-to-authority on everything edible
Even though Kath is based on the Kapiti Coast and we’re down in mid-Canterbury, her advice speaks to anyone in Aotearoa wanting to grow their own food.
If you’re like me - someone who’s starting with zero knowledge about growing seasons, weather patterns, or, honestly, nature in general - Kath’s book is a lifesaver.
She breaks everything down with clear instructions, plenty of illustrations and step-by-step guidance everybody can follow.
IMHO: Kath’s best advice ****(my abridged version) is:
Watch your garden for a year. Pay attention to the seasons and the changes each brings. Then, start your garden
This advice gave me permission to slow down, observe and reflect on what we really want from our outdoor space. It also enabled me to confidently answer curious friends with: “I don’t know exactly what we’ll do in our garden, but I’m doing lots of research!”
Another gem from Kath: “make an instant, temporary veggie patch.”
Whilst we haven't followed this advice exactly, we’ve kept things super budget-friendly by using ready-made veggie bed frames and super affordable wind-breaks. You can read about how that’s going for us here →
So here we are: two city folk learning to grow food: one experiment and discovery at a time.
It’s messy, fun, often baffling, yet deeply satisfying when our bowls and bellies are filled with what we’ve grown…
By Sal at Sally Grows - 5th January 2025
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The 782 sqm paddock that ‘came with’ our beautiful whare | FYI: that’s the previous owner’s boat
The Edible Backyard site | Oh my gosh, Kath has got soooooooooo many free resources, practical advice and awesome tips on her site. She updates it regularly, so head there to begin your edible project
The Edible Backyard book | I jumped straight in and bought Kath’s book because I wanted to read it in bed, add sticky tabs on pages I love and keep it in my bag, ready for long car journeys
FYI: I have no affiliate links, promotions or deals. I just have a lot of aroha and gratitude for Kath Irvine and all her edible wisdom! If you liked this article, please give it a little love:
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147 DAYS OF VEGGIE BEDS → | Sally Grows: a paddock to plate adventure