2 days ago
Community And Collaboration Bring New Mental Health Facility Garden To Life
Patients and staff joined forces to bring the landscape design for Te Puna Wai Kātea, Taranaki Base Hospital's new stand-alone mental health rehabilitation facility, to life.
'It was fantastic to see everyone working together to transform the new facility's garden into a vibrant and healing space,' says Jesse Jardine, Programme Director for Project Maunga, Health New Zealand |Te Whatu Ora.
'The garden is a key aspect of the facility's design because it provides a rejuvenating outdoor space where patients can enjoy activities and spend time with whānau and visitors.'
The planting day was made possible by the Taranaki Health Foundation and generous donations from the community, which provided the planters, bark, and compost needed for the new garden.
The community involvement didn't stop there. Students from New Plymouth Boys High School helped prepare the garden beds for planting as part of their Do Something for Nothing initiative. Grant Hall and his team from Tui Landscaping were on-site to execute the planting layout and guide volunteers. Building Wellness Taranaki ensured the workers were well-fed.
The story of the garden's design showcases another layer of community spirit. It was envisioned by WITT architecture student Asja Fairbrother during her 2024 internship with Project Maunga. When Asja presented her concept design, the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora project team were so impressed, that they wanted to see it become a reality.
'We are delighted to bring Asja's thoughtful design to fruition with support from our community. This garden has been created by the community for the community,' continues Jardine.
The garden features vegetable planters where residents can learn to grow and cook their food. Native plantings with cultural significance have also been carefully considered to ensure the garden is beautiful and meaningful.
The new garden will be enjoyed by staff, patients, and whānau when Te Puna Wai Kātea is officially opened next month.
