Our Land

With a mission to amplify the connection between leadership, women, food and global sustainable goals, Lindy Nelson is leading the way to partnership and purpose, both at home in Eketāhuna, and in the agriculture sector.

Gardens are never created to be left, yet that time comes to us all. After half a century in a house they’d built, surrounded by large gardens created from scratch, Robin and Lynn Bublitz took a deep breath, downsized their possessions and waved their plants goodbye.

Born and bred in Edinburgh, Scotland, Gillian Swinton came to New Zealand on an adventure – and never left. Turning a corner of Central Otago into a homesteading haven where the simple life has become very much the good life, she offers us an insight into where it all began.

The love story from rural Minnesota to a Martinborough river terrace bore the fruit of elegant award-winning olive oil and wine in the Te Muna Valley. As an evolution from a career in law and business, Margaret and Mike Hanson’s passion for the laws of nature became their next intellectual fascination at Blue Earth.

Late summer in the edible patch is about anticipating the harvest season and enjoying a slower pace as we seek the shade. Sarah Frater offers some expert advice.

Before we know it, it will be time to start thinking about pruning our trees, gardens and hedges. We spoke to Farmlands Technical Advisor Laurence Frost for some expert advice on how to get the pruning process right.

On Track

Sian Noble-Campbell, Kirsten Evans and Mary Mickleson balance their roles on farm, motherhood, teaching and so much more with their ‘side hustle’ – sharing their beautiful Matahuru Valley with visitors. Sian provides an insight into their daily juggle.

Pruning Know-How

Pruning can be a lot of work, so why do we need to do it? Farmlands Technical Advisor Laurence Frost says there are five main reasons why we should regularly prune our plants.

Walnuts and Roses

Over a century in the making, Julia and Dave Malcolm’s lovely home and garden at Swannanoa just 35 km north of Christchurch has developed a relaxed and quintessentially Canterbury vibe. Peaceful and productive, the property quietly reflects the hard work and attention to detail the couple have put into their private landscape since they moved here 24 years ago.

My Favourite Things

Much-loved Kiwi author Danielle Hawkins shares her favourite things that make her life in rural Ōtorohanga that little bit easier.

Honouring the Past

Kate and Levi Slavin have taken a ‘dying art form’ and given it a new lease of life with their cast-iron cookware collection.

The House that William Built

An early colonial home, the country’s finest private museum and a garden of significance attracts visitors to a peaceful inlet in the beautiful North. Words Kate Coughlan, Photos Tessa Crisp.

Oriental Splendour

The street view of Alan Watson’s home in Ashburton is relatively conventional: red roses, green lawn and a trailer in the driveway. However, this arrangement is a kind of teaser, to increase the element of surprise when visitors discover that concealed behind the house is an elaborate Eastern-style garden, complete with teahouse, maple trees, covered walkways, lanterns, arched bridges and a spectacular stone pagoda.

The Rhythm of Nature

Drawing on their natural surrounds, Ben and Vanessa Dickie have combined enterprise and environmental stewardship to share their slice of heaven with others, creating a lifestyle that is perfectly in tune with their natural backdrop and values.

Displaying a vase or jar of home-grown flowers on the table is one of life’s greatest joys. We asked Akaroa’s Julia Atkinson-Dunn for tips on how to prolong the experience.

Traditional Christmas cards often feature sprigs of English mistletoe with white berries. Aotearoa’s native mistletoes are a much more spectacular sight at Christmas, lighting up southern beech forests with bright clusters of red, scarlet and yellow flowers.

Only eight years old, Longbush Cottage garden in the Wairarapa has earned four stars from the New Zealand Gardens Trust, and has developed a reputation for bringing colour and gardening inspiration to the region.   

Beechwoods, a first-time entry into the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, is a story of second-time love after loss. The one-hectare country garden has a woodland with a stream spanned by three bridges, a Japanese garden, vege patch, and esplanade along the road front.

October and November are busy times in the garden with spring blooms making themselves known and lots to plant to ensure a continuous supply of florals and delicious edibles in the months ahead.

The goal of building a retreat for people from all walks of life to share their views was overtaken by a plan to afforest a large chunk of hilly land west of Auckland.

One of the greatest pleasures of country living is the peace and quiet it offers; along with the chorus of native birds, I find solace in the quiet moments that are increasingly rare in urban settings.

The Golden Bay orchard dedicated to finding the perfect feijoa

Nigel Ritson has spent the last 35 years breeding feijoas, searching for the perfect fruit.

There's plenty to do in the height of autumn.

Chickens and gardens don’t normally mix, so it often comes down to a choice: do you fence the garden, fence the chooks, or allow them to thrive together?

A Farming Dream

All you have to do is ask, and someone will teach you a few things about farming. That is the advice of 21-year-old Angus Grant, who grew up in Christchurch and has wanted to be a farmer since he was barely out of nappies.

Hoop-jumping and council consents: Michael Andrew’s journey of building a home from scratch

NZ Lifestyle Block editor Michael Andrew writes about the essential yet tedious hoop-jumping business of council consents.

The Pumpkin episode four: The rise and appeal of homegrown milk

The Pumpkin, is our podcast devoted to homesteading and permaculture in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Nelson Lebo shares his tips to stiffen defences with an effective yet affordable homemade fly trap.

The elder tree has been revered by human beings for millennia for its spiritual and medicinal applications.

Angela Clifford reflects on her almost two-decade journey into soil health.

Enjoy the final summer goodies and start to prepare for autumn.

8 plants to get through droughts

With water shortages becoming more common, here’s how you can keep your garden alive and thriving during the dry months.

These versatile structures not only add a touch of elegance, but also provide a framework for climbing plants.

Some of the best and most cost-effective fire prevention experts can be found on many New Zealand rural properties.