Wandering down the drive to Accessible Properties’ Gibson Road complex you can see the evidence of tenant Ally’s (far right) green fingers everywhere.
It’s a very pretty picture of dahlias, roses, lavender and more, all round the complex, suggesting she has few extra hands as well as those green fingers.
“I do it for love,” she says. “I get joy out of helping others, I really do.”
“Keeping an eye on things, putting the rubbish out for people if they can’t do it themselves, as well as doing the gardens.”
Ally has lived in her very tidy unit for 12 years. “People laugh when they see the artificial carnations on my table, but they always look lovely and don’t take any effort at all!”
Her neighbour, Nita (left), is 92 and has been in her Accessible Properties unit for a remarkable 27 years.
A Waikato girl through and through, Nita tells about being born in Hamilton and her mum taking the newborn back home to Te Aroha on the bus.
“I reckon I’ve been here so long I just about own the place. I used to help in the gardens but it’s too hard for me now. Ally and my daughter look after me and I keep myself busy,” she says, pointing to a half-read Mills and Boon on the back of the sofa.
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