Garden pests? Bug them out gently

5 November 2012

Environmentally friendly ways of keeping bad bugs out of the home garden will be the focus of a free workshop at Hollard Gardens, Kaponga, on Sunday (11 November).

The “Ban the Bad Bugs” workshop will be held at Bernie’s Home Garden, a demonstration and workshop area at Hollards where natural methods are favoured over the use of herbicides and pesticides.

Workshop topics will include:
• Plants that attract beneficial insects.
• Creating habitat for wildlife and how it is good for the garden.
• Composting methods that keep the garden well-fed and strong.
• Natural sprays to counter pest and disease.

Sunday’s workshop will run from 2pm to 4pm. It is part of a year-round programme of free events at Hollard Gardens, Pukeiti and Tupare, the three heritage gardens owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council on behalf of the people of the region.

For more information, see www.hollardgardens.info, www.pukeiti.org.nz and www.tupare.info. Social media users can also follow the Regional Gardens on Facebook (TaranakiRegionalGardens)and Twitter (@TaranakiRG).

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>