Refugees get local garden low down

New Dunedin residents (from left) Mnahel Haroura, Nahla Hameed, Haifa Alsaayde, Zainab Dabbagh...
New Dunedin residents (from left) Mnahel Haroura, Nahla Hameed, Haifa Alsaayde, Zainab Dabbagh and Waled Alazez, all of Syria, look at herbs and other plants at Otago Polytechnic yesterday that grow well in Dunedin. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.

Some of Dunedin's newest residents had a chance to learn about the gardening conditions of their new home during an Otago Polytechnic workshop yesterday.

About 15 former Syrian refugees attended the gardening skills workshop and tour of the polytechnic's Living Campus and horticultural department.

Otago Polytechnic student May Taha, acting as a translator for the Syrian group, said many Syrians new to Dunedin were finding it difficult to source vegetables which were staples for meals in Syria.

"In New Zealand, tomatoes and eggplants are very expensive and they are sold individually.

"In Syria they are sold in kilos and are used for some breakfast and dinner meals,'' she said.

Ahlam Safan said she had left a garden in Syria, but the workshop had made her excited about starting one in Dunedin.

Armed with a bunch of mint and fennel she said she also planned to plant flowers, vegetables and fruit trees.

Workshop organiser Aaron Blaker said the workshop was a way the polytech could extend a "heartfelt welcome'' to the new Syrian community.

"We hope the attendees will acquire some helpful, practical information to assist as they start to settle into life here.''

Otago Polytechnic horticulture lecturer Kim Thomas said the workshop was "challenging but incredibly rewarding''.

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