The Sullivan Garden started as an asparagus patch. Photo/ Supplied
The Sullivan Garden started as an asparagus patch. Photo/ Supplied
A garden that started as an asparagus patch is featured in this year's Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival.
Sullivan Garden, owned by Neryda and Peter Sullivan, has featured in the festival for nine years and is included again this year.
Neryda says she and Peter bought their property 27 years ago.
"It started as an asparagus patch. We then decided to build a house and as time went on, we stopped with the asparagus and developed a garden around our house. It has an absolutely stunning view of the mountain. Our house has been so beautiful to live in."
The property is a labour of love, she says. She and Peter completed all the work themselves.
"Peter is a builder so he built our house using bricks from the old nurses' home when it was pulled down."
As time has gone on, she says, she and Peter have established different areas in the garden.
Peter and Neryda Sullivan spend a couple of hours each weekend in the garden. Photo/ Supplied
"Peter does the hedges and all of the heavy work while I do the weeds and titivate the plants. It works very well. Our garden is the outcome of teamwork."
"We have roses and around 150 rhododendrons and azaleas. We have a curved path and clipped hedges to provide definition and our lawns frame the views of the mountain. We have cottage plantings, pots with flowers and foliage, along with garden art."
To keep the garden looking its best, Neryda and Peter can spend anywhere from two to four hours in the garden on the weekend.
"Understandably we're busier leading up to the festival which is when we spend about four hours a weekend in the garden. The rest of the year it's a couple of hours each weekend. We've done this for a long time so we've managed to make the garden as maintenance-free as possible."
The property features in NZ House and Garden and NZ Gardener magazines. Photo/ Supplied
Neryda says she and Peter are excited to welcome visitors to their garden for this year's Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival.
"We like to share the love of gardening with others. We meet so many new people and we never know who will come up the driveway. That's what we like about it. We always meet so many different people."
With a number of South Taranaki Gardens featured in the festival this year, she says people can spend the day in the district visiting the different gardens.
"We have so many beautiful gardens in South Taranaki this year and I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we can't wait to show people our garden."
* Sullivan Garden is located at 283 Matangara Rd, Hāwera and is open for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, running until November 6.
