Hey Neighbours, check out this grand garden in Greytown!
Craig Thorburn’s stock response to how he comes to be in Greytown is simple. “I got divorced, I fell in love with it, it’s cheaper”. Cheaper it may be, but his little oasis in Main Street looks a million dollars.
The Auckland landscape designer who previously owned a subtropical garden open to the public, now owns Grand Illusions, a botanically inspired decorative garden sculpture and homewares store.
His home, once owned by Sir Hart Udy, twice Mayor of Greytown shows his deft decorative touch, but it is the garden wrought from a former carpark which will delight visitors to the Wairarapa Garden Tour this weekend, raising funds for Pukaha Mount Bruce.
Though small, just 800 sq metres, this garden is grand in stature and Craig has designed a series of themed rooms ranging in style from colonial to contemporary and employing a different colour palette in each.
A three-time gold medal winner at the Ellerslie Flower Show, also collecting two silvers and a bronze, Craig is more than willing to share his expertise. On Saturday, November 10th at 5.30pm he will give a lecture at Longwood, Featherston on what makes good garden design. He plans to make the talk interactive, with ideas and practical advice for how to cope with the space that is relevant to participant’s own gardens.
Tickets are available at Eventfinda, The Grocer Martinborough, Grand Illusions Greytown, Esc Velocity Featherston.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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85.5% Yes
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13.3% No
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1.1% Other - I'll share below
Greytown Country Market
Stella Bull Park, Main Street, Greytown 10am-2pm
Tomorrow Sunday 17th November