Nature Baby held a day out at the Kelmarna Gardens last month for mothers and their toddlers, the first of its kind.
To keep the kids entertained throughout the day a number of events were held, including rides on Jafa the pony and wheelbarrow rides, as well as walks through the gardens.
Jacob Faull, director of Nature Baby, is pleased with the turnout and plans to repeat the event next year.
“I moved from the concrete jungle of London and was amazed to find a place like this in the suburbs,” he said. “This day is all about fundraising and shining a light on the gardens. Giving people something to escape to from the growing concrete of Auckland city is really important for both parents and the community.” Adrian Roche, garden manager at Kelmarna, is pleased with the event and hopes it will show people that the gardens are open to the public.
“People don’t seem to know if they’re allowed in,” he said. “We’re trying to show people that they are welcome and that the gardens are a public space.”
He also hopes the fundraising will help the appearance and management of the gardens.
“We’d like to improve the entrance especially so that people notice the gardens and know they can come in. An archway would be good and we also need to do some work on the car park.” (GEORGE SHIERS)