Planting Palms at St Mark’s Remuera

St Mark’s, Remuera, applied for the Anglican Diocese of Auckland's Flourishing Life on Church Land Tree Fund to support the planting of additional trees on the church site. The Church is in a busy commercial and medical area. The grounds offer a peaceful oasis for people to rest, reflect and engage with nature. Our intention in seeking the grant was to add some native plants to a section of land that was gifted to the Church by James and Isabella Dilworth for the purpose of trees and ornamental shrubs.

We purchased three Nikau palms. We blessed the palms on Palm Sunday before we began our palm procession into the church, and the whole congregation gathered for their blessing.

Our hope is that in the years to come, as the palms grow, they can be used to decorate the church on Palm Sundays. This is an annual tradition, and it will be beautiful to use palms grown on the Church grounds. We also hope they will provide homes for native birds in the area and continue to enhance the sense of rest and peace people find in the gardens.