Eliminating pathogens
An unpleasant fact of life though it is, pandemics and epidemics will never go away, nor will those myriad of other contagious and infectious diseases that keep resurfacing when we least expect it. Outbreaks of diseases such as influenza, Covid-19, tuberculosis (TB), mumps, measles, and whooping cough, to name but a few continue […]
In praise of trees: Allwood Trees and Shrubs
Long have trees been admired by man. Journalist, poet and soldier Joyce Kilmer wrote the poem Trees in 1913; its opening lines read “I think that I shall never see a poem lovelier than a tree”. We plant trees to celebrate milestone events, to honour the memory of loved ones now gone, to […]
Luxury lawns
A beautiful lawn is a sign of a great deal of love invested. It takes time, but also good products to produce an enviable lawn. There is a huge range in the quality of products sold for lawn management and enhancement, and paying more for products does not guarantee the ideal result. For […]
Contain yourself: Lushingtons Garden, Gifts and Cafe
Whether you have a large country garden, or a modest patio, pots and baskets offer you masses of growing prospects. Growing plants in containers is easy, and it creates instant and changeable displays right outside your back door. If there is length and perspective to your garden, one large bright pot placed at […]
Craft your own gifts
Many of you will be familiar with Cricut crafting machines. The range of available accessories allows you to personalise gifts for friends and family. Metropol’s gadget guy Ian Knott checks out three of them. Back in February this year I reviewed the Cricut Maker 3, the precise card, paper and vinyl cutting machine […]
Get in the garden
September is a time to spring clean the garden as well as the house. Sunshine and showers bring new life, growth and tasks in flower and vegetable gardens, so break out the tools, the seeds and the secateurs. This month and next are ideal times to start feeding lawns, re-pot container plants, plant […]
Quarter Merino conservatory: RESENE
While conservatories aren’t nearly as commonplace in New Zealand as they are in the United Kingdom, that doesn’t mean you can’t steal some elements of classic English conservatory design to create your own. There’s nothing better than a barbeque with friends on the back lawn or relaxing on the deck in the sunshine […]
Understanding the market: Mike Pero Fendalton
While Covid-19 has undeniably dealt heavy blows to our health and our economy, weirdly, it has also brought about changes in the way we live that might actually be good for us. Zoom became the new meeting format and we grew to love it because it was just so darned convenient. We began […]
Collaborative design reaps awards
The NKBA (National Kitchen Bathroom Association) Awards is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year for interior designers. For entrants to the NKBA awards, achieving a win in any of its categories is an accolade to be proud of, but to be a first-time entrant and win four awards is […]
Artistic self-expression: Art Metro
Annika Mäenpää teaches a children’s afterschool painting programme, a drawing class and a Thursday evening adults’ painting class at Art Metro. Annika says being part of her students’ own artistic journey and helping them realise and reach their potential is most fulfilling. “When everything starts to come together, you can see the excitement […]
