Dunedin Canmore tenants in Thornybauk came up with a plan to brighten their communal garden space.

The slabbed area is now home to raised beds, where tenants are growing vegetables, herbs and plants. The area is now awash with colour - and a new picnic table encourages people out their homes to mix with their neighbours and form friendships.

The idea came from tenant David Turnbull, who has lived in the building for 16 years. David, aged 68, said: “My main motivation was to get all the neighbours involved. Many hadn’t gardened before, so it was a learning process.

“It’s transformed the environment and visitors to the building always comment on how beautiful it looks.”

Fellow tenant Louise Stewart, helped plant the garden, she added: “It makes such a difference. When I moved in there was just ivy all along one wall. We asked Dunedin Canmore if we could get planters built, so they did that, filled them with soil, and then we’ve done the rest.

“It’s lovely to sit in the garden and chat with the neighbours. I really enjoy maintaining the garden, it’s been hard work, but very rewarding.”

Lynsey Fotheringham, head of housing for Dunedin Canmore, part of Wheatley Group, said: “It’s been great to support the residents at Thornybauk and to see the transformation in the garden area.

“They’ve put in the hard work to get this off the ground and maintain it. It’s lovely to see the vegetables growing and the flowers blooming, providing lovely colour to the shared garden.

“We hope this transformation inspires other Dunedin Canmore residents to take on projects to develop their communities.”