Growing Together: Te Puke High School’s Inclusive Garden

In the heart of Te Puke High School, a new project is planting seeds of inclusion, community, and learning. As part of the wider Seed to Plate programme, the school has unveiled a purpose-built garden for students in the Te Ringa Awhina special learning unit.

This garden is a significant step forward — a space that is accessible and fully woven into ag-horticulture, technology, and food technology. Unlike the previous ground-level plot, new raised beds include a recess for wheelchairs so students can work directly in the planting area. That design makes a real difference for students with high learning needs and those who use wheelchairs, enabling them to get hands-on in the garden.

The layout is practical and symbolic: three beds in a Māori trinity koru design — peace, new beginnings, and the cyclical journey of life. The first bed, now complete, is filled with colourful flowering plants. The next two will feature edible plants and a sensory garden rich with textures and scents.

Placing the garden at the centre of the ag-horticulture area reinforces the school’s inclusive values and ensures Te Ringa Awhina students are part of everyday school life. A grant from the Western Bay of Plenty District Council matching fund made the project possible; senior students gained valuable work experience helping build the beds.

With the first bed planted by 15-year-old student Silvio Shallcrass, the space is already becoming a hub of learning and growth — where every student can feel ownership and belonging.

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