A range of workshops and activities will be on offer at the Waitakaruru arboretum over Easter weekend. Photo: supplied
Visitors to a Waikato arboretum will be able to participate in a range of special workshops and activities this Easter weekend.
The Waitakaruru arboretum was devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle, losing more than 100 trees, owner Dorothy Wakeling said.
"Frankly at that point in time we thought we really can't keep going because it was going to be massive, so expensive, such a mission to try to recover from that."
Wakeling said thankfully, the arboretum had been able to keep going.
The Seeds of Renewal Easter event was a celebration of the work to replant the site.
"We have a number of different events during the year to highlight different seasons and this one is the main one to highlight the whole rehabilitation project."
The Wakelings brought the land 32 years ago after it was left a scarred old quarry site.
"Winstone back in those days didn't have to rehabilitate [the land] as they would be required to nowadays," Wakeling said.
The couple had undertake massive planting efforts to create the arboretum in the old quarry and the garden was now open to the public.
During the Easter weekend, visitors would be able to take part in free workshops on everything from propagation native plants to making seed bombs with clay and seed, Wakeling said.
"We've got quite a number of people presenting, from organic gardening to understanding soil, pruning... a lot of these experts have volunteered their time for presentations within the park."
Weather could be a problem, but Wakeling said she kept looking at the forecast, which was currently OK - "and we do have big umbrellas if it does turn".
