PODCAST

Hit the Trail

Virginia Winder, Nelson Smart & Sophie Walker

Love gardens, art, and a touch of inspiration? Then Hit the Trail with hosts Virginia Winder, Nelson Smart and Sophie Walker! Every Tuesday at 1pm, we’ll bring you the inside scoop on the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, the Sustainable Trails, and the Taranaki Arts Trail. From interviews with passionate gardeners and artists, to tips and stories that make these festivals come alive – we’ve got everything you need to plan your perfect trail.

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All Episodes

0:57:47

Hit the Trail: Episode 9: Chris and Steak Goodin,...

Hit the Trail ·

2025/10/28

Art, miniatures and food forests bring the series to a colourful close. Virginia Winder and Nelson Smart visit the Goodin Country Garden for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, where volcanic rocks, mature trees and lush lawns set the scene for works by Karl Maughan, Jeff Thomson and Erica Soman – with all three artists in residence on opening weekend. Sophie Walker explores Creekside Cottage in Stratford for the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail, where Gwenda Pease’s food forest brims with

en-nz

1:0:10

Hit the Trail: Episode 8: Katy & Willie Roach, Jo...

Hit the Trail ·

2025/10/21

Cars, collectables and creativity wrap up this series. Virginia Winder explores Kahikatea for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, where Katy and Willie Roach’s peaceful garden is surrounded by QEII-covenanted bush, colourful plantings and Willie’s collection of American cars. Sophie Walker heads to Stratford’s Fenton Street Art Collective for the Taranaki Sustainable Build Trail, where Jo Stallard and Stuart Greenhill share how they transformed Egmont Chambers into a café, distillery and creative

en-nz

0:58:42

Hit the Trail: Episode 7: Ian & Elsie Lind, Peter &...

Hit the Trail ·

2025/10/14

Palms, quail and creativity fill this episode. Virginia Winder explores Nikau Grove for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival, where Ian and Elsie Lind’s Garden of International Significance is alive with native bush, boardwalks, wētā hotels and a waterfall. Sophie Walker visits Blue Cypress Haven in Waitara for the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail, where Peter and Cathy Gehr have turned a tiny 300m² section into a thriving food garden with quail, bees and solar power. And Nelson Smart joins

en-nz

0:58:54

Hit the Trail: Episode 6: Morris/L’Amour/Heart & Soil

Hit the Trail ·

2025/10/07

Virginia chats to artist, painter, printmaker, musician and gardener Stu Morris ahead of the Taranaki Arts Festival from his cottage in Brooklands surrounded by his art that is due to open for the festival this year. Sophie Walker drops into Heart and Soil in Ferndale for the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail, where Mieke Verschoor’s five-tiered permaculture garden overflows with fruit trees, worm farms and a subtropical grove. We end today's episode with Chris and Gloria Smith from L’Amour

en-nz

0:59:34

Hit the Trail: Episode 5: King/McDonald/HobartHaven

Hit the Trail ·

2025/09/30

Today we hear all about Centuria Taranaki Garden Festivals Tikoki Garden in New Plymouth owned by Janet and John King, where visitors can meander down the path to a delightful sanctuary garden filled with rhododendrons, roses and a terraced vegetable garden. We also hear about the backyard revolution at Hobart Haven, Hayley and Seton Pennell’s vibrant space that talks the talk of Refuse, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle as they prepare for the Sustainable Backyards Trail. Then Nelson and Virginia chat

en-nz

1:1:32

Hit the Trail: Episode 4: Brumley/BushiesKarma/Larkin

Hit the Trail ·

2025/09/23

Lee & Roland Brumley welcome us into their Carrington Rd garden and chat with Virginia about The Yews that featured in NZ House & Garden magazine; Sophie chats with Kama Burwell, one of the hosts on the Sustainable Farms Tail 2025. Learn about her whānau farm in Kaimata where the care about the whenua and creating a thriving, resilient farm; and Virginia chats with the super talented potter Juliet Larkin who explores form, tension, imbalance, texture, and emotion—often through the vessel form in her

en-nz

1:0:2

Hit the Trail: Episode 3: Cockerill/Silk/Pip Guthrie

Hit the Trail ·

2025/09/16

Today we hear all about the Cockerill's Garden Te Rongohua in Kinross Drive, that is set amongst the woodlands and blends natural beauty with artistic flair, we hear about Planting, Power & Paddocks with Jamie Silk. From experimenting with livestock diets to riparian and hillside planting, renewable energy, and hands-on learning, Jamie’s lifestyle block on Weld Road is a living lab of sustainability. We end today chatting with photographer Pip Guthrie whose photography embodies a blend of the

en-nz

0:58:24

Hit the Trail: Episode 2: Jenny & John Pease, Stu &...

Hit the Trail ·

2025/09/09

From lush gardens to rural backyards and vibrant art studios, this week’s trail is bursting with stories and inspiration. Virginia Winder drops by Gravetye in Hāwera to meet Jenny and John Pease, whose garden is a tapestry of colour and charm for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival. Sophie Walker heads out to Korito to chat with Stu from Stu & Wendy’s Lil' Slice sustainable paradise. Their journey is packed with laughter, inspiration, and clever tips, plus some brilliant hacks to keep your own

en-nz

0:55:6

Hit the Trail: Episode 1 - June Lees, Jo-anne Mowat &...

Hit the Trail ·

2025/09/02

Love gardens, art, and sustainable living? Then join Virginia Winder, Sophie Walker and Nelson Smart as they take you behind the scenes of Taranaki’s iconic festivals. Virginia visits Cairnhill in Toko with June Lees, uncovering the magic of heritage gardens in full bloom for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival. Sophie steps inside Magpie’s Rest in Huirangi/Waitara, where Jo-anne Mowat shares her journey building a warm, soulful passive solar home from repurposed treasures for The Sustainable

en-nz

1:0:49

Hit the Trail 28-10-2024 Beechwoods, Gabrielle Fawkner

Hit the Trail ·

2024/10/29

Inside the fence is an enchanting garden embracing past and present. The old Magnolia Campbellii and huge-trunked Rhododendron Arboreum Tomentosum are part of Sir Victor Davies’ original plan. The old garden has been rejuvenated as a woodland, while the new leads to a figure-of-eight path around a stream and features ornamental specimens and natives.  Beechwoods is named after two ancient native beech trees, uncommon in Taranaki, and Adrian McLeod is the former owner of Fairfield Garden Centre.2313

en-nz

0:56:18

Hit the Trail 21-10-2024 Nine Stream Farm, Over the...

Hit the Trail ·

2024/10/20

First up, Matt and Vanessa of Nine Stream Farm discuss their experience with regenerative farming on this 100 hectare property. Then meet Rhys & Tim, in their stunning suburban garden, Over the Rainbow.

en-nz

0:58:54

Hit the Trail 14-10-2024 Holly Smith & Ahu Ahu Rammed...

Hit the Trail ·

2024/10/14

Holly Smith ia a mixed media artist originally from England and based in Hawera, South Taranaki. Inspired by bright bold colour, florals and pattern. Holly loves creating abstract joyful paintings and screen prints. Some pieces are inspired by British Gardens ,and growing up in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Some are purely experimental and imaginative. 19 Gover Street CBD (Taranaki Arts Trail #15) A conversation with Jane Bowden-Dobson and Jane Dunlop about building a home with rammed earth and

en-nz

0:58:2

Hit the Trail 07-10-2024 Te Kainga Marire_Tasha Waterson

Hit the Trail ·

2024/10/06

Te Kāinga Marire is the only private native garden sanctuary in New Zealand to be rated as a Garden of International Significance. Te Kāinga Marire’s (translated ‘peaceful encampment’) point of difference lies in the natural plant associations that evoke a feeling of the real New Zealand. This native plant paradise was developed in 1972 from clay wasteland. Keen outdoor adventurers, the owners wanted a bird-friendly garden designed around the ecological groups they had observed in the wild. New

en-nz