Meet the Village Gardener – Derek Craig
I have come to this job by a round about route. My academic background covers a Degree in Archaeology and Physical Geography with Post graduate studies in Restoration Ecology at the University of Auckland and a Diploma of Sustainable Land Management from Unitec.
I’ve spent four years growing beneficial insects to help the horticultural industry reduce pesticide use and I’ve run my own property maintenance business. I am an ecology tutor for school children and orchard design trainer outside of the Village.
When I started at Howick Historical Village, there was no guide to your average 1850’s garden & orchard so I had to do a lot of digging through old newspapers and catalogues to fill in the blanks. I’ve become a botanical historian researching all the plant species and varieties that our forbears were growing. With 900 varieties of fruit trees on my list so far I’m not even half way through and the range of flowers & shrubs grown by our ancestors was simply amazing.
I have been involved in the New Zealand Tree Crops Association for many years serving on branch & National committees. Regular branch meetings and field trips had allowed me to learn from others as they try to get the best out of this temperamental land. I am also a member of the Auckland Seedsavers Network and I am proud that the Village has been able to supply village grown seeds back into this organisation to help save heritage and heirloom plant varieties for another generation.
My vision for the Village gardens has two parts; one is to provide a visually accurate and pleasing environment for our visitors to learn our history. The second is to work with other organisations and help save threatened native plants and also plant varieties once used by early settlers.
The work at the Village covers everything from splitting timbers for post & rail fences to propagating seedlings to replant the vegetable gardens. I have been expanding gardens and introducing new trees to enhance the village. With seven acres to control I cannot get by without a wonderful team of volunteer gardeners.
