Founded in 2011 on piece of land owned by the North East Valley Normal School, the garden has slowly taken shape over the years.
The volunteers are guided by co-ordinator Pam McKinlay, who has been part of the garden since it began.
"It was the site of the old school master’s house, and then it was just a big paddock that the groundsman would have to mow now and again."
The garden is managed by a steering committee, and it has a long-term lease with the school.
About 40 people come together to work in the garden regularly, alternating each week between Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon sessions.
"We all work co-operatively together and harvest together."
Mrs McKinlay helps communicate what is needed to be done each week.
"So we have a map of all of the bed plots and the idea with the map is that we can see where everything is and then we can do the crop rotation so we keep the soil alive."
The main focus is helping provide fruit and vegetables for the members who are doing the work.
Any left over items are given to the local free food pantry.
"The food is for our community first."
The garden is a place of learning, not only for the adult members, but also for the North East Valley Normal School, which operates a garden club.
"They have got five beds up here."
The pupils also learn about potting and composting.
Pupils from Dunedin North Intermediate also visit to conduct science experiments, and there is an area for the Enviroschools open classroom.
"They have been doing some riparian planting around the perimeter as well."
"It is a lovely community spirit of people."
She mostly grew flowers at her home, but had enjoyed learning about vegetable growing since she began coming to the community garden.
"I’ve just learned so much about vegetable growing so I have a garden at home now, albeit a small one."
Her task last visit was "chopping and dropping" weeds and putting them on top of one of the beds.
"That bed will sit for probably one season and rot down into the soil again."
The green weeds help to return nitrogen to the soil.
She takes away vegetables to saute or make into salads.
"It just depends on what is here for the season."
She enjoys the "lovely company" of fellow members.
"I actually really love being in the soil and having my hands in the soil and putting the plants in and seeing them grow."
Member Scout Barbour-Evans tends both the community garden and the school garden.
"At the moment we have got a lot of beans, carrots, peas.
"We’ve planted recently a lot of kale and things like broccoli, we have got kohlrabi growing, there’s tomatoes growing."
"It is an important part of being in a community to be able to do our bit to feed the community, because the community feeds us back."
New member Azi Harland is in her second year as a University of Otago student and has just started coming to the garden.
"I don’t have space for a garden at the house so I thought I’d come here and talk to a few people and learn a few things and get out in the garden."
She said the group were very welcoming and there was an opportunity to have a cup of tea and chat to people, as well as working in the garden.
"There is just so much to do and you just rock on up and do what you can."
She enjoyed being able to take away fresh herbs, as well as gathering fruit and vegetables.
"Just whatever is in season."
She also enjoyed discovering different recipes.
"It is really quite cool".
