Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2016 i Your Home and Garden

Did you know that people in hospitals heal faster when they have an outlook onto nature? Or that 95 percent of people experience an improvement in mood after spending time outdoors? Can you tell I’ve hugged a few trees in my time? I’m a passionate believer in nature being the most powerful ally when it comes to your wellbeing. Now is the time to prep your outdoor spaces for summer, so however big or small your outdoor area, craft it with care and thought to get the maximum benefit from Mother Nature. Think carefully about every outdoor space you have, and consider how each could be adapted to reflect you and your family’s personalities, habits and hobbies, so you’re more inclined to get out and about. Would you love a…

Bargain of the month Summer’s just around the corner so there’s no better time to change your accessories. These inexpensive Portobello wire planters would make the perfect addition to a shelf or outdoor table. At $9.90 for a small planter and $14.90 for a large, we guarantee you won’t buy just one! Available from Bed Bath & Beyond stores nationwide. New player in town Attention homeware-lovers, Adairs has arrived on our shores! The popular Australian manchester, homeware and furniture store has launched its New Zealand online store and is opening its first retail outlet in Auckland’s Sylvia Park on 20 October. Tauranga’s Bayfair Shopping Centre will be home to Adairs’ second store next year, with a number of outlets around the country to follow. See our gorgeous makeover of one…

When the view’s this inspiring, you don’t need to go to town with bold paint. Instead, bring colour into your child’s room through quirky prints, treasured possessions and geometric bedlinen. That way, you can change the decor as they grow without too much expense – and let their personality shine through as you do it. Timaru’s Kate Perry and Josh Newlove did just that when they let their daughters contribute decor ideas to their new-build. See the full tour on page 56.…

Josh had some trouble convincing the joiner to use bright yellow. “She thought we were mad!” It definitely wasn’t love at first sight for Kate Perry when she saw the rural Timaru section her partner, architectural designer Josh Newlove, wanted to build a house on. “It was so steep we could barely get the car up the path,” recalls Kate. “I told Josh I didn’t even want to get out of the car.” The couple, who met while studying in Dunedin, had recently completed a major renovation of their first home, a 1950s cottage in Timaru. But they were expecting their second child and Josh, who was born on the West Coast, wanted to ensure his kids had a country childhood. Fast-forward a year and the same 10-acre section was…

“Time spent planning prior to the build can save a lot of pain and heartache further down the track.” 1 Planning is key. Time spent planning prior to the build beginning can save a lot of pain and heartache further down the track. It is especially helpful for your builder and sub-trades if decisions are made early on – this includes the style and type of tapware, bath, toilet and floor coverings you want. Most of these choices have a flow-on effect, so getting this right early is vital. 2 Don’t skimp on things that can’t be changed later or areas you know will get a lot of use. For instance, we put in insulation that’s well over the minimum requirement as it means we spend less money on heating…

HUMIDIFICATION CAPABILITIES Dry air can cause sore throats or dry skin. You can introduce a touch of humidity into the space that also helps you feel warmer at lower temperatures. DEHUMIDIFICATION CAPABILITIES Breathe easier and remove dampness from the air with the dehumidifying feature. COANDA AIRFLOW Don’t miss a spot! Stream air upwards along the ceiling, avoiding furniture and obstructions to ‘throw’ conditioned air up to 12 metres to the far wall. NATURAL BREEZE AIR FLOW Randomly varies air flow and direction to simulate the sensation of a natural breeze. INTELLIGENT EYE This smart feature detects when the room is unoccupied for 20 minutes and automatically goes into power-saving operations. ECONO MODE Helps reduce power consumption and decreases the load on the electrical circuit when multiple electrical devices are used…

As one of the largest and most comprehensive homeware retailers in Australia, Adairs has pieces to fit every room and style. The store, which also stocks furniture and bedding, recently launched in New Zealand with an online store, and a retail outlet is opening at Auckland’s Sylvia Park on 20 October. As you will see from our makeover of reader Ginny Bridgeman’s bedroom on page 102, Adairs’ range runs from quilts and cushions to plant holders, chairs and side tables. The store also stocks art, bathroom and laundry essentials and a range of kids’ toys and furniture. Just what you need for your next makeover! Adairs.co.nz…

Snapshot   Who lives here? Jen Morrison, 39 (graphic designer), Ben Morrison, 40 (lawyer), Mia, 7, Franklin, 5, and Alistair, 4. Where is it? Meadowbank, Auckland. Best makeover moment? It was a definite high seeing the kitchen go in, especially the black wall and the hanging lights. The lights were from ECC and a bit of a splurge, but they add necessary colour and a bit of wow factor. The background Jen, what did your home look like before? It was a two-storey 1960s/1970s house – very dated, very peach, very quirky. The bones of it were good, with living areas downstairs and bedrooms upstairs, but a bookshelf in the middle of the living area really interrupted the flow. The entrance to the house was tiny (it was hard for…

Hi Alex My husband and I are building our first home which is very exciting. But after living in old houses, we are a little scared by the prospect of ‘new’. Old means full of character and we don’t want to lose that with a new house, so we were wondering if you could give us some advice about injecting character into a new-build home? Mick and Ali, Christchurch Hello team new-build! That’s so exciting but I know exactly what you mean. I get asked this question all the time when it comes to building a brand-new home. Old does mean character but new is also a chance to stamp your personality and designs on a project. People renovate old homes all the time and replicate or keep features to…

Catching up with friends over lunch is one thing I love to do but, realistically, with work commitments and getting into the city and back between school runs, it happens far less than I’d like. One way around this is to have lunch at my place. Taking advantage of the spring blossoms in our garden to swank things up a little, I’ve created this easy lunch for friends – or for evening dining, just add tea lights and warm blankets. The salmon dish can also be eaten cold, so packing these dishes up and heading to the park is another possibility. The arrival of blossoms on our trees after a usually wet and mud-riddled winter is a welcome signal that summer fruit lies ahead ORANGE BLOSSOM CAKE WITH ROSES &…

FEATURE NZ LTD Ph: (09) 413 5139 www.feature.co.nz European vintage inspired outdoor garden mirrors, powder coated iron with shatterproof glass. Six new designs just in. PLANT & POT  www.plantandpot.nz Modern indoor plants in contemporary pots. Fresh living gifts that are lovely and long lasting. GELLERTS THE JOY OF PLANTS  www.gellerts.co.nz Bring life into your living space this summer. Top quality indoor plants. Easy to care for. Long lasting. Enjoy months of beautiful blooms. NZ TREES PLEASE Ph: (09) 213 2209 | www.nztreesplease.co.nz  enquiries@nztreesplease.co.nz Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @nztreesplease Sustainable and beautiful living tree and plant gifts for all occasions. New In Bloom collection available now! VEGEPOD - RAISED GARDENS  www.vegepod.co.nz Protect your veggies from pests with an easy-access mesh canopy. Self-watering and misting. Grow…

Tropical seating nook If space is at a premium in your courtyard, deck or veranda, a small seating nook might be just what you need to indulge in your morning coffee or enjoy your favourite book. A bistro setting normally has two chairs and a small table, making it the perfect set-up for small spaces. Many of the settings are stylish enough to be brought indoors and used as extra seating when needed, making them ultra-versatile. COLOUR YOUR WORLD Painting a wall in your courtyard in a bright colour or bringing in coloured accessories is a great way to make your outdoor space zing. For extra comfort, add a couple of scatter cushions to your setting. Outdoor rugs are great for defining the seating space as a separate zone. A…

STATEMENT SOFA Boasting clean, elegant lines, the Dreamer Sofa will be a statement in any living space. It is covered in a Warwick fabric that echoes asphalt wool; this polyester fabric has stain-and light-resistant qualities. To view the full range, visit moodstore.co.nz or call 0800 666 369 (0800 MOOD NZ). SPACE TO RECHARGE The Corian® Charging Surface brings wireless charging integration to your home. It’s seamless, hygienic, renewable and formable – and available in every colour and pattern of Corian® interior surface. So how does it work? Just below the Corian® Charging Surface, a transmitter transfers energy wirelessly to a receiver within or attached to your smart device. Plus, the surface is smart – charging stops when your device has reached maximum battery capacity. It’s the ideal solution for kitchens,…

Five finalists will appear in Your Home and Garden – one each issue for five months – and each will receive a $250 Resene paint voucher. The overall winner will then be chosen from the five finalists, taking the Resene Colour Home Award title and winning $5000 in cash. An extended story on the winning home will feature in the May 2017 issue of Your Home and Garden. We will announce the first finalist in the December 2016 issue. HOW TO ENTER Email photos and a 200-word or more description of your project to yhg@bauermedia.co.nz with your last name and ‘Resene Colour Home’ in the subject line. Please include your name, home address, daytime phone number, the names of the Resene colours used and details of when you painted your…

We want to bring back the quality and exclusivity of handmade products and present ‘handicrafts’ as art When Jo Azevedo started creating interiors for her husband’s building business six years ago, she became hooked on forming the ultimate space. “I designed interiors for entire new-builds and smaller renovation projects,” Jo says. “It became a huge passion of mine that only grew deeper over the years.” Now she’s helping others create their own beautiful interiors through her homeware store, which opened last year. Zavedo, in Silverdale, north Auckland (and also online), offers decor items from both established and emerging designers, here and overseas. “With Zavedo, we want to bring back the quality and exclusivity of handmade products and present ‘handicrafts’ as sophisticated art from passionate people,” Jo says. The shop is…

An icon of 20th-century British design, the Anglepoise lamp has featured in design museums, graced Royal Mail stamps and inspired numerous artists and musicians. The original Anglepoise was designed by George Carwardine in 1932 and over the years has been reinterpreted by such well-known designers as Paul Smith and Margaret Howell. So functional and timeless is Carwardine’s balanced-arm design that other brands have taken inspiration from it, making it the only style of lamp you’ll ever need for your studies.…

HONESTY BOX + What do love about rural living? Kate: We love the space and the fact that our children can spend so much time outdoors, certainly more than they did when we lived in town. They love walking through the paddock to visit friends. + Our best buy: A 1965 mid-century modern Bono lounge suite, a lucky bargain we found on Trade Me for $750 that we’ll never part with. + Is there anything you’d do differently? Not really. A larger laundry might be nice and maybe we’d install a door off the kitchen instead of a window but, other than that, we love this space. CONTACTS + Newlove Browning Architects + Dimension Building + Butler Electrical + Calder Stewart Roofing + Herman Pacific + Plumbing World + Menzies…

If you’re not quite sure how to go about your painting project or need advice on the best way to put colours together, just ask the staff at your local Resene ColorShop – they can help you decide on the best products, colours, tools and method for your project to help you get a superb finish inside and out. + Always first select the colours for those surfaces that have the least amount of colour choice, such as window and door joinery and the roof. Once you’ve decided on those, you can go ahead and choose your Resene paint colours for the rest of the house. + If you are comparing two exterior colours, usually it’s best to choose the darker one as colours tend to look lighter with the…

‘Smart Homes’ – a technology once reserved for the tech-savvy and gadget-obsessed – is now much more accessible to the mainstream market. Even if people cannot afford some of the ‘smart’ products, it is becoming more common to future-proof homes by installing cables when building new or renovating. So what exactly is a Smart Home? Simply put, it’s the control of electrical products in the home via a smartphone or tablet. This can cover everything from audio, visual and lighting to security systems and building access. Some ‘smart’ elements can be provided wirelessly, while others require cables. The Mezzo system, for instance, is fully wireless, meaning no invasive cable installation is required. You can even install some elements yourself. “If you are confident registering or logging on to a wi-fi…

KIWIS LOVE NATIVES It’s always desirable to have native plants in the landscape. Replicating a more controlled form of native bush, or balancing natives with exotics, stirs up nostalgia as well as being practical for our environment. LANDSCAPE DESIGN REQUIRES LATERAL THINKING and years of experience so employing a talented designer will pay off in the end. It might mean paying more in the beginning but will end up saving you money in the long run. Head to builderscrack.co.nz to post your job and pick the tradie best suited for your needs. WANT TO REDUCE YOUR WORKLOAD? GO ECO The interest in organic gardening is growing as we become aware of the changes we can make as individuals. Eco-friendly gardening also reduces your garden workload. GET COMPOSTING One of the…

Whether you’re outdoors catching some sunshine, lounging by the pool, entertaining friends or having a quiet dinner with the family, it’s easy to do it in style and comfort with the right outdoor furniture. As with buying investment pieces for your home, choosing outdoor furniture and accessories for your outside space can be a big decision and one you want to get right. 1 SPACE/SIZE CHECK Treat your deck, patio or courtyard as another room in your home. Your outdoor furniture needs to be appropriately scaled to the area in which it will be used, just as you would inside. Ensure you measure how much space you have for furniture before you head to the shops and make sure you allow enough room to move around the furniture. + A…

Tools Fine-blade hacksaw Square 600mm level Pencil Phillips screwdriver Measuring tape Sanding block Hand saw Budget 4 troughs $83.96 2 pine planks $39.44 (120x20x1800mm) 16 x 15mm screws $5.74 Paint/stain $22.37 Masking tape $4.65 TOTAL $156.16 STEP 1 Take a plastic trough and, using a fine-blade hacksaw, cut off the overhanging lips at either end, leaving intact a 45mm-long piece from the front of the trough at each end. Repeat this for all 4 planter boxes. STEP 2 Lying everything on the floor, space the troughs along the pine planks, measuring 400mm apart from the top edge of each trough and evenly spaced at the top and bottom. Attach the planter boxes to the pine by only putting the front 15mm screw in at either side (to allow for levelling…

That’s why, together with the team at The Good Taste Co, we’ve developed a new range of dips created from my “Good from ScratchTM ” philosophy. They’re packed full of great flavour combinations, sure to make summer more interesting! This Spiced Lentil & Carrot Dip is great for serving as a dip, but how about trying it served with barbecue lamb! YOGHURT MARINATED BBQ LAMB RUMP WITH SPICED LENTIL & CARROT DIP SERVES 6 / PREP TIME 15 MINS / COOK TIME 15 MINS ½ cup natural unsweetened yoghurt 1 Tbsp curry powder 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 1 tsp sea salt Juice of 1 lemon 3 large lamb rumps, fat trimmed 1 packet flatbread or naan bread 1 cup coriander leaves 180g tub The Good Taste Co. Spiced…

FISH SLIDERS NUTRITION 2698kJ; 22g fat (2.2g sat); 24g protein; 83g carbohydrate SERVES 4 COOKING TIME 30 mins 6 Sealord Lemon Pepper Crumb Hoki Fillets ½ cos lettuce 4 pickled gherkins, sliced 12 slider buns ½ cup aioli 1 lemon, cut in wedges, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 200°C (190°C fanbake). Place fish fillets on a lined baking tray and cook according to packet instructions. 2 Heat the slider buns in the oven. 3 Halve the fish fillets and place in a slider bun. Add some lettuce, gherkin slices and a dollop of aioli. 4 Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the top, season with salt and pepper and serve. WHY SEALORD IS A GREAT OPTION OMEGA-3S • Heart health • Other research suggest benefits to brain function…

Typically a spring wedding flower, freesias are known for their heavily perfumed scent. They can last up to two weeks and are available in a variety of colours. Here, we have arranged them with complementary seasonal blooms and greenery, including ranunculus, tulip and gem magnolias, eucalyptus leaves and a sprig of conifer. We have used partly open freesias for longevity. Keep them out of the sun and change the water daily, and enjoy the breath of fresh spring air the flowers will bring into your home.…

The days are getting longer and the temperature is rising as we look ahead to the warm days and balmy evenings of summer. It’s around this time that we start to reassess our outdoor furniture and crave something new to make relaxing and entertaining outside both a comfortable and stylish affair. Harvey Norman’s Ventura Collection will look right at home in any outdoor space, big or small, and we’ve got all the advice you’ll need to take your cosy oasis to new limits. RETREAT SPACE Setting up an outside retreat space is great for a relaxing read in the sun, drinks with friends or as an ideal place to retire to with guests after an evening’s entertaining. NATURAL Choose outdoor furniture that blends harmoniously with nature. Handsome wooden furniture with…

One area is English-themed, in another a Balinese statue is comfortably at home, and there’s a French-inspired quarter, too. There’s no need for a garden to feature a uniform theme throughout. Just ask Colin and Vicki Davis, whose Tauranga garden has been divided into different ‘rooms’. One area is English-themed, in another a Balinese statue is comfortably at home, and there’s a French-inspired quarter, too. In yet another zone, subtropical planting is accompanied by a cordyline-like sculpture that Colin made from a water cylinder. This diversity was not, however, part of the original plan. Colin and Vicki started out with a vision of an English formal garden, with boxed hedging and lots of flowers. But they soon discovered their quarter-acre site was too big to sustain that focus, so the…

There’s a lot to think about – and do, of course – when you’re building a new house. Landscaping is all too often left to the end of the construction process, which can result in a garden that’s cobbled together rather than carefully planned. If you want your garden to perfectly complement your new house, it might be worth taking some time out while it’s being built to smell the roses, or check out some nursery plant lists at the very least. This guide for new gardens covers all the elements you’ll need to consider. 1 On the same page Some of the best gardens come about from a co-operative dialogue between architect and garden designer. Even if you’re just building a kitset home, have a conversation early in the…

A • ABC FABRICS abfabrics.co.nz • AESETHIC LIGHTING aesthetics.co.nz • ADAIRS adairs.com.au • AFD STORE afdstore.co.nz • ALEX & CORBAN alexandcorban.co.nz • ALEX FULTON DESIGN alexfultondesign.com • AKIA akia.co.nz • ALLIUM alliuminteriors.co.nz • AMARA nz.amara.com • ANYA BROCK anyabrock.com • ASKEW askew.co.nz • ASPIRING WALLS aspiringwalls.co.nz • ATELIER WORKSHOP atelierworkshop.com B • BARRETT JOINERY barrettjoinery.co.nz • BED BATH & BEYOND bedbathandbeyond.co.nz • BEDWORLD bedworld.co.nz • BIBBY + BRADY bibbyandbrady.co.nz • BLUEBELLS CAKERY bluebellscakery.com • BLUM blum.com • BOCONCEPT boconcept.com/en-nz • BOLT OF CLOTH boltofcloth.com • BONNIE & NEIL bonnieandneil.com.au • BRISCOES briscoes.co.nz • BROADYS Broadys.co.nz C • CATHERINE DAVID DESIGNS catherinedaviddesigns.com • CINTESI cintesi.co.nz • CITTA cittadesign.com • COAST coastnewzealand.com • COMPANY OF TILES companyoftilesltd.co.nz • CONTAINER DOOR containerdoor.co.nz • CORIAN evolutionofsurfaces.com/corian D • DANSKE MOBLER danskemobler.co.nz • DAPPER MR BEAR dappermrbear.com • DAWSON & CO dawsonandco.nz • DESIGN DENMARK designdenmark.co.nz • DOUGLAS & BEC douglasandbec.com • DULUX dulux.co.nz E • ECC ecc.co.nz • EDITO edito.co.nz • EDWARD GIBBONS edwardgibbon.co.nz • ENDEMIC WORLD endemicworld.com • EVERYDAY NEEDS everyday-needs.com • EVIE KEMP eviekemp.com…

BANNERS A single tote bag produces these 2 banners. Simply unpick the trim on the edges of the tote bag. Cut off the bottom of the bag so you are left with just the 2 sides. Then cut down the sides of your 2 pieces so you remove the holes where the trim was sewn. Push a piece of 12mm dowel through hem at top of bag. Then tie handle of bag to the dowel and hang (you can leave as is or cut points at bottom). We used a thin fluoro cord to hand the other banner. TOG BAG This is perfect for the kids’ wet togs. Unpick trim on both sides. Cut off ‘iceblock’ side so you are left with ‘hola’ side and bottom stripy part. Fold ‘hola’…

If you’re dreaming of a California desert-style interior, you don’t have to wait to buy that signature chair or cactus-themed accessory, just make your credit card work smarter! With Gem Visa, you get six months interest free on all Visa purchases over $2501 – so buy now and you’ve got a comfy six months before the interest kicks in. There are even more advantages to Gem Visa when you’re savvy about where you buy, because there are long-term interest-free offers at more than 2000 retail stores too2 ! You can feel nice and safe (and a little smug!) the next time you buy something with a bigger price tag if you choose to add optional Shopper’s Protection insurance: if you buy an eligible item and it goes on sale within…

1 SAVE Japanese Lawn Emblem, $13.29, from Spotlight. 2 SAVE Bird and Thistle, $36, from Martha’s. 3 SAVE Palm Frond, $20 for 2 metres, from ABC Fabrics. 4 SAVE Japanese Lawn Sketch Floral, $13.29, from Spotlight. 5 SAVE Capetown fabric, $50, from Martha’s. 6 SAVE Orchard Floral, $10, from ABC Fabrics. 7 SAVE Japanese Lawn Pink Poppy, $13.29, from Spotlight. 8 SAVE Country Garden Mono, $7.69, from Spotlight. 9 SAVE Negril Palm Yellow, $42, from Martha’s. 10 SAVE Harvey’s Summer Flower, $49.95, from Harvey Furnishings. 1 SPLURGE Limoges by Pegasus, $59.95, from James Dunlop. 2 SPLURGE Luminarja in duck egg blue and brown, $83, from Bolt of Cloth. 3 SPLURGE Magnolia by Mokum, $255, from James Dunlop. 4 SPLURGE Zoology by Pegasus, $59.95, from James Dunlop. 5 SPLURGE Zinnia by…

A luxurious addition to any beauty routine, Palmolive Oil Infusions Body Moisturiser leaves your skin smooth, hydrated and lightly fragranced. In a recent product test, New Zealand women tried Palmolive Oil Infusions Body Moisturisers. They loved the naturally luxurious fragrances and the non-greasy formula, with 92% agreeing they would recommend it to family and friends!* Andrea from Nelson was quite surprised with how much she enjoyed using Palmolive Oil Infusions Body Moisturisers. “I actually wouldn’t have bought an oil-based moisturiser, as I thought it would be too greasy, but I love this one as it leaves my skin looking and feeling great all day.”* The apothecary-style bottle looks beautiful, with 8 in 10 of the participants saying they would be happy for it to be visible in the home*. Robyn…

HONESTY BOX + What is one thing you would change about your home if you could? Philippa: Absolutely nothing so far! We love the way it is working and the warm and welcoming feel it has. + The most memorable experience you’ve had in your home? The process of hand-sanding and etching the floors was definitely unforgettable. It took up a string of weekends and was at times messy as well as time-consuming – although we did get better at it as we went along. The finished result was definitely worth it. Another memorable occasion was having our Christmas lunch up there in the middle of the building process – we sat on a picnic blanket on the floor! BUDGET + How much did you spend on your build? David:…

You might recognise Josh Shanley from last year’s The Block NZ. Josh joined Cat Glass and Jeremy Hill’s team in week five of the series. What was meant to be one week turned into six. “It was a bit foreign at first, to be working with cameras all around, but once I got stuck in and knew how much there was to achieve, I soon forgot about them,” he says. Josh got the call-up to The Block when he was halfway through building his own home in the coastal community of Oakura, 12km out of New Plymouth. Josh would spend the weekdays on set in Auckland, then return home to his family at weekends to work on his own project. That’s an awful lot of time behind a nail gun,…

“An eclectic selection of fabrics creates a mix-don’t-match boho aesthetic CLIENT Lotte Bowers PROJECT Tula’s room BUDGET TOTAL $1,581 Lotte says: Tula is our little firecracker who is turning 7 in a few weeks. Tula and her sister, Gaia, have been sharing a room up until now but are ready to move into separate bedrooms when our brand-new house is completed. It would be wonderful if we could hit the ground running with paint colours chosen and furniture purchased ahead of the move-in day. For Tula’s bedroom we would love to create a warm sanctuary which feels safe and nurturing and functional and tidy. The scheme would be imaginative and colourful but also able to stand the test of time. A big girl’s room, but not too big – we…

“The creamy, smoked salmon contrasts perfectly with the sharp Champagne vinaigrette & shallot flavoured chips.” Chips and dip go hand-in-hand with a glass or two of bubbles, but if you’re after something with a touch of sophistication, this winning combination will stand you in good stead for the evening ahead. Designed to take your al fresco dining to the next level, you’ll spend more time with friends and less time in the kitchen with this easy, no-fuss dish. HOT-SMOKED SALMON & HERB DIP SERVES 4 PAIR IT WITH COPPER KETTLE SPECIAL RESERVE CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE & SHALLOT These sharp and tangy chips are the perfect vessel for a scoop of this creamy, smoky and earthy dip. The richness of the cream cheese and salmon are offset with plenty of lemon and…

The rustic look and delectable buttery flavour of oat crackers will be making its mark on many a snack platter this spring and summer. Huntley & Palmers Oat Thins are joining Kiwis in pushing food boundaries with crackers that really complement your favourite toppings! Oat Thins are filled with natural ingredients, seeds and grains – and in flavour combinations that will have everyone reaching for more. KUMARA, SPICY GINGER AND MISO HUMMUS PAIRED WITH HUNTLEY & PALMERS PUMPKIN, SUNFLOWER & CHIA OAT THINS “The beauty of hummus, is how easy it is to sling together at the last minute from cupboard ingredients – a tin of chickpeas, tahini, some lemon juice and garlic, and you’ve got the makings of a great snack. Sweet kumara, spicy ginger and salty miso pair…

+ November can be windy so make sure recently planted shrubs, trees and tall perennials are staked well. Or treat yourself to a flash obelisk; it will add vertical interest, too. + Time for a tidy-up before you get into summer entertaining mode. Giving everything – hedges, lawn edges and shrubs and trees – a quick trim can work wonders. + Dragging out the water blaster is a good idea if your decks and paving are slippery with mould and dirt accumulated over winter. + For a quick fix to lift the garden out of post-winter doldrums, try filling every spare bit of space, including containers and hanging baskets, with summer-flowering annuals. + Alyssum, marigolds and lobelia top my list of all-round easy-to-grow, top-performing annuals. Depending on the sun or…

“I didn’t want to do the whole ‘thatched roof’ thing. When I found the Koda Pavilion, I knew it would work” Fiona Milde vividly recollects her first impressions of the property she bought four years ago in Kohimarama in Auckland’s Eastern Bays. “Ghastly. My father, who was a building inspector, had a slight nervous breakdown. It was clinker brick downstairs, weatherboard on the middle level and plaster with a Mediterranean bell tower on the upper level. Beautiful shades of apricot and green. And the outside patio areas were terracotta tiles. Bamboo had invaded the garden so much that I couldn’t believe how much land there was when we started cutting it back.” Now it’s hard to believe she is talking about the same property. A gently trickling rill flows around…

GREEN WALLS As cities grow and open space becomes scarce, many cities are going green by either positioning nature on the sides of their buildings or bringing it indoors. ‘Green walls’ refer to any plant or moss application to a wall that creates a green facade. There are many types of green walls, some more complicated than others, and the following pages give some ideas for garden-lovers. EDIBLE GREEN WALLS People are increasingly worried about where their food comes from, how it is grown and the types of sprays used. As a result, more and more people are starting to grow their own veges and herbs. Edible green walls are a way to grow organic produce in a place where space is tight. And they manage to look super-cool at…