The Grow together programme is back

Henry Hill School shows how a garden can bring community, connection, and even teach renewable energy. Could your school be next?

We love seeing communities thrive. That’s why we created the Grow together programme and this round we’re asking for nominations from primary schools in Manawatū and Horowhenua.

Our Grow together programme enables schools and communities to thrive, learn and grow sustainable practices. Community gardens don’t just grow veggies, they also create organic waste that can break down naturally to produce biogas. By supporting school gardens, we’re helping communities learn about biogas and how it can become renewable energy for our homes.

Nominate your primary school to become one of our Community Garden Partners and they could receive everything they need to build, plant and grow a veggie garden of their very own.

Anyone can nominate a school in Manawatū or Horowhenua. Simply head over to the Grow Together page and get those green thumbs tapping!

Henry Hill School 

Henry Hill School in Hawke’s Bay became one of our Community Garden partners in 2025. The programme supplied the school with two simple garden beds that became a space for connection, confidence, and curiosity. Students planted seedlings, watered them each week, and watched them grow into food they could harvest themselves. The crops were so successful that produce could be shared across other garden beds within the school and a bumper first crop was able to be shared across the school community.

But the real growth happened beyond the soil.

Students learned patience and teamwork. They discovered where food comes from and how caring for something consistently leads to results. Throughout the journey, students also learn what happens after the harvest: organic garden waste naturally breaks down to produce biogas. This opens up conversations at school and in the household about renewable energy and how everyday scraps can help power our homes more sustainably.

That is the heart of the Grow together programme. It is about fresh food, yes, but it is also about empowering young people with practical knowledge and strengthening the communities around them.

Quote from school:  "From seedlings to shared harvests, this garden has grown more than food — it has grown confidence, curiosity, and community."

Want to start your own school or community garden?

A school garden project has so many benefits to early learning and development. Not only does it teach consistency, dedication and food circularity, but it also enriches health, wellbeing and the future of our planet.

If your school has been dreaming about a garden, we’ve got some tips and tricks to get you started, all you need is enthusiasm, a community ready to dig-in, and a shared vision to grow something meaningful together.