Taradise - Opunake accommodation

05/07/2025

Winter time in the taradise gardens. Still lots to see and enjoy.

22/03/2025

21/03/2025

Step inside and feel at home! ✨ Stylish, spacious, and designed for total relaxation—Taradise offers everything you need for a perfect getaway. Sink into the plush queen sized bed, enjoy a fully equipped kitchen, and unwind in a warm, inviting space.
📍 Book your stay: www.taradise.nz

29/01/2024

I’m not a fan of monoculture which we associate with pinetrees. However this little plant is such a wonderful illustration for us to learn from

"A small pine tree grown in a glass box reveals the level of white, finely branched mycorrhizal threads or "mycelium" that attach to roots and feed the plant." - David Read

A view of what's needed to support a pine tree seedling. Sustainable and climate-wise gardeners protect the soil. This means:
- minimal compression from big machinery
- no poisons, because fungicides will inhibit mycorrhizae fungus that help plants gain moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Soil sequesters 3 times more carbon than all the terrestrial plants--the rainforests, other forests, fields, and our yards. We must stop treating our precious soil like dirt!

05/11/2023

14/10/2023

So here is one of the duck’s eggs from our main flock of Indian Runners. They sure know how to grow them. These are in the garden cart at the gate at our place fresh as. Why not try them?

13/10/2023

There are just limited spaces left on the basketry workshops we are collaborating with Tanya Doty of Heartstone Baskets to offer over The Sustainable Backyards Trail. Here is a list with the links to check out. Don’t pass up this wonderful opportunity to learn from such a great teacher.
Willow Basket Making
https://fromoutofthebluestudiogallery.com/willow-basket.../
Random Weave Nests
https://fromoutofthebluestudiogallery.com/random-weave.../
Ribbed Basket with Driftwood Handle
https://fromoutofthebluestudiogallery.com/rib-basket.../
Exploring Foraged Materials
https://fromoutofthebluestudiogallery.com/exploring.../
Rattan Retro Gi Anywhere Basket
https://fromoutofthebluestudiogallery.com/rattan-retro.../

05/10/2023

Nice treat to see at morning tea time.

30/09/2023

The snail patrol at work in the courtyard 👏👏👏👏👏👏

31/08/2023

A lot of what goes on in Viv’s Garden is to support Viv’s art practice. A cyclical use system is growing every year. So here’s an example we are currently enjoying.
1. Tamarillo tree grown from fruit gifted by my picture framer. These trees are now several years old and we have them where wind damage is minimal. Wind damage is our biggest frustration
2. Fruit crop for winter puddings. Crammed full of goodies. Just the colour of the fruit makes you feel brighter on those cold wet days
3. Bowls of goodies beside the wood burner with a good movie - what’s not to like
4. Empty skins in the pot on said wood burner. Slow cooking. I like this but cos my house is warm, my hot water is coming off the we***ck and my dye bath is being created from my kitchen waste
5. Wool and silk pretreated to fix the Tamarillo pigment
6. Skins out of pot, fibres in. More slow cooking
7. And here it is. Washed and dried and ready for knitting, weaving, spinning, feltmaking etc.
How satisfying is that.
These and other yarns and fabrics will be in the studio shop over the trail so do come and check them out. They are delicious. 😋😋