The day before lockdown, I saw customers in our shop fighting over vege plants. That was a distressing time for everyone and all the changes that were happening were a lot for people to get their head around, including me. Everything at the nursery was changing on a weekly basis. There were many questions that we had to find answers to: during lockdown could we have staff working at the nursery to keep the seeding and growing ticking over? Were we allowed to sell vege plants online? What did we need to do to keep our team safe?

Post-lockdown we had challenges too; the couriers imploded with the crazy volume of internet purchases people were making while stuck at home, so we couldn't rely on them. We started to make our own deliveries to internet customers. My regular driver took his wife with him one day, as he wouldn't be able to do all the driving himself, on an 18-hr day (I’m not sure about the legality of that). The next day he asked me to have a go, so I did and it was a mere 14-hr day.

Things are starting to get back to normal now, although it’s a different normal. As I write this, we still have social distancing at work, but Jacinda could be relieving us of that soon. I imagine it will take a while for people to feel less stressed and more comfortable again, but we’ll get there. I’m grateful for lots of things but one thing that stands out is that New Zealanders are keen on growing their own veges again. It’s a great habit to get into, fantastic for our children and grandchildren enjoy and to learn from us - well done Kiwis!

Happy gardening, Henri Ham