The Pioneers

Three people have been involved in the day-to-day work associated with the "language garden" since its inception, because of their direct links with the family trust which owns and administers the land.

Dr Richard Benton, the Director of the project, is the theoretician, researcher and person responsible for the overall planning and documentation, as well as well as acting as general labourer and weed clearer as circumstances require.

James Benton is an artist who holds a permaculture design certificate and has studied rongoa Māori [Māori herbal medicine], and who planted many of the existing trees, raising some from locally sourced seed, and took charge of planning and implementing the infrastructure to support the plants for several years after the family acquired the property in 1996.

Alan Benton is an event manager well versed in information systems and technology, based in Wellington, who is our chief IT consultant and also occasional tree-planter and mower of walking tracks.

However, equally important is the legacy and inspiration of a fourth person, the late Nena Benton, whose ten years of dedicated hard labour and love of plants was the driving force in the establishment of this garden.