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.
Hit the Trail: Episode 9: Chris and Steak Goodin, Gwenda Pease & Maureen Holmes-Woods
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 chickens, berries and pollinator plants. In central New Plymouth, Virginia and Nelson also meet Maureen Holmes-Woods, whose quirky dollhouses and studio – a craft heaven – will delight visitors during the Taranaki Arts Trail.
21 Oct 2025
Hit the Trail: Episode 8: Katy & Willie Roach, Jo Stallard & Stuart Greenhill & Alana Ruakere
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 hub using reclaimed materials. Virginia also meets Alana Ruakere, whose expressive abstract paintings in bold primary colours will be on show for the Taranaki Arts Trail.
14 Oct 2025
Hit the Trail: Episode 7: Ian & Elsie Lind, Peter & Cathy Gehr & Korrena Kidd
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 Virginia to meet New Plymouth artist Korrena Kidd, who will have a diverse range of creative works – from painting and sculpture to photography – on show for the Taranaki Arts Trail.
7 Oct 2025
Hit the Trail: Episode 6: Morris/L’Amour/Heart & Soil
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 has a kōrero with Jamie Silk, host of the Taranaki Sustainable Farms Trail who has experimented with livestock diets, riparian and hillside planting, renewable energy and hands on learning. We end today's episode with Chris and Gloria Smith from L’Amour Garden who have entered their delightful Inglewood Garden in this year’s Centuria Garden Festival for the first time this year.
30 Sept 2025
Hit the Trail: Episode 5: King/McDonald/HobartHaven
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 with stone carver Kevin McDonald whose passion lies with his hammer and chisel ahead of the Taranaki Arts Trail.
23 Sept 2025
Hit the Trail: Episode 4: Brumley/BushiesKarma/Larkin
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 work.
16 Sept 2025
Hit the Trail: Episode 3: Cockerill/Silk/Pip Guthrie
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 familiar, sometimes the unremarkable with narratives woven into the fabric of everyday life that are often go unnoticed.
9 Sept 2025
Hit the Trail: Episode 2: Jenny & John Pease, Stu & Wendy, & Jo Stallard
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 backyard humming. And Nelson Smart joins Virginia to catch up with Stratford painter Jo Stallard of the Fenton St Arts Collective, diving into the creative spark that fuels her work on the Taranaki Arts Trail.
2 Sept 2025
Hit the Trail: Episode 1 - June Lees, Jo-anne Mowat & JD Reid
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 Trails. And Nelson and Virginia sit down with artist JD Reid to explore creativity, craft, and connection on the Taranaki Arts Trail.
29 Oct 2024
Hit the Trail 28-10-2024 Beechwoods, Gabrielle Fawkner
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 Mountain Road, RD 10, Tariki (Centuira Taranaki Garden Festival #41)
Gabrielle Fawkner's drive to integrate different art mediums comes from a desire for creative expression, and to challenge traditional boundaries. An experienced art teacher and recent art graduate, Gabrielle she sees the potential in combining mediums to create unique textures and visual effects. By using locally sourced materials, she deepens her connection to the environment, enriching the meaning of the work. Her inspiration blends curiosity, innovation, and a deep bond with her materials and surroundings.
33 Devon Street West CBD (Taranaki Arts Trail #32)
20 Oct 2024
Hit the Trail 21-10-2024 Nine Stream Farm, Over the Rainbow
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.
14 Oct 2024
Hit the Trail 14-10-2024 Holly Smith & Ahu Ahu Rammed Earth Build
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 co-purchasing land with friends. Learn about what inspired these decisions, the processes involved, and what’s in store for their participation in this year’s Sustainable Builds Trail.
303 Lower Ahu Ahu Rd, Kaitake (Sustainable Builds Trail)
6 Oct 2024
Hit the Trail 07-10-2024 Te Kainga Marire_Tasha Waterson
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 Zealand native grasses, climbers, herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees have been carefully nurtured around rustic fences, a wetland, a colonial bush hut and cool fern-filled whare. Shy tui now regularly fly into the garden to feed.
15 Spencer Place, New Plymouth (Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival #10)
Tasha Waterson is a Taranaki artist based in New Plymouth. Tasha’s artwork takes inspiration from the human form and her sculptures are line drawings that blur boundaries between two dimensional and three dimensional drawings The shadows cast by the sculptures give the artwork more depth and confuses the viewer into thinking that the shadows are part of the drawing.
33 Devon Street West CBD (Taranaki Arts Trail #34)
29 Sept 2024
Hit the Trail 30-09-2024 The Medicine Place, Eudaimonia, Blue Petal & Christiansen Garden
Sophie chats with naturopath Cat Neale, at her off-grid 2 acre property at the end of Mangorei Road. Learn about Cat’s journey toward creating a regenerative food forest and medicine garden with medicinal herbs and plants. Sophie then meets with Martina Murray from Blue Petal and Caroline Gottfert from Eudaimonia and they talk about their properties, what they’re growing, sustainable practices they use and why. Specifically planting for wellness and regenerative purposes.
The Medicine Place #10 - 1766 Mangorei Rd, Mangorei
Eudaimonia #9 - 274 Korito Rd, Korito
Blue Petal Botanicals #8 - 335 Maude Rd, Korito
(Sustainable Backyards Trail)
On the outskirts of Hāwera, Steve and Kerry Christiansen have created a semi-formal garden with manicured lawns and shapely hedging of many varieties. This one-acre garden, less than five years old, is dotted with rustic garden art, including Kerry’s birdhouses made from recycled materials. You’ll also see an avenue of espaliered fruit trees, a quaint black-and-white craft shed and greenhouse. Christmas crafts and garden art for sale.
200 Ketemarae Road, Hāwera (Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival #36)
22 Sept 2024
Hit the Trail 23-09-2024 Portia Roper & Mountain Road Estate, St Mary’s Community Garden
Portia is a multi-media artist interested in the interplay between collage materials, stitching and books, Portia searches op shops for treasures, particularly illustrated animal books. Op shops inspire new works and provide materials.
Based at 851 South Road Omata (Taranaki Arts Trail #81)
A conversation with Kylie Zinsli from Mountain Road Estate about their decision to develop their 3 acre property from paddocks into spaces for growing organic lavender, sage, truffles, hazelnuts and more! All with the goal of health and wellness in mind for all. Learn about their products and what they have planned for this year’s Sustainable Trails.
Mountain Road Estate based at 5881 Mountain Rd, Normanby and St Mary’s Community Garden based at 101 Collins St, Hāwera (Sustainable Backyards Trail #18)
16 Sept 2024
Hit the Trail 16-09-2024 Saxton Sanctuary & Katrina Cosgrove
This 40-year-old woodland garden, legacy of a renowned Taranaki plantsman, has provided historical content for current owners Kim and Owen. The 0.6ha holds an extensive array of evergreen and deciduous, native and exotics along with rare and unique plants. Vast colour is provided by rhododendrons, azaleas, astilbes and irises. Hostas flourish at the pond alongside burgundy and red maples.
48 Saxton Rd, New Plymouth (Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival #25)
Katrina is a New Zealand artist based in New Plymouth. She creates the most beautiful and detailed botanical, floral and landscape art. Her artwork has been described as expressionistic, and each piece is a reflection of her imagination and real-life observations. Katrina connects her artistic inspiration to New Zealand’s stunning landscapes, especially its lush native bush, ocean vistas and abundance of plant life. With a background in various mediums, she has honed her unique artistic techniques, creating colorful, vibrant and detailed pieces that reflect her passion for nature. Through each piece, she aims not just to showcase her perspective, but to evoke feelings and inspire viewers based on their own interpretations.
Based at 20 Heaphy Street, Westown (Taranaki Arts Trail #44)
16 Sept 2024
Hit the Trail 09-09-2024 Kahu Glen Hemp Build, Organic Feijoa Farm & Over the Rainbow
A conversation with Matt Low about building a hempcrete home, the inspiration behind that decision, and the process involved. Learn about their decision to be part of both the Sustainable Builds and Sustainable Farms trails, what it takes to run an organic feijoa orchard, and the workshops planned for this year's trails.
175 Paraite Road, Bell Block (Sustainable Builds and Farms)
At the end of this cul-de-sac lies a hidden garden. From structured planting at the front, explore the slopes of perennials, tree ferns and bromeliads before stepping down to a secluded native bush walk. A distinctive house, designed by Roger Walker in 1979, looks out over this curated, eclectic garden, which is completed by selected ethnic artworks. Garden featured in NZ House & Garden March 2022 issue.
26 Mayfair Place, New Plymouth (Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival #24)
1 Sept 2024
Hit the Trail 02-09-2024 Katrin Lemcke & Bayly Terraces
Artist Katrin Lemcke came to Taranaki 20 years ago as an exchange student at Waitara High School. After returning to Germany to finish high school there, she also completed an apprenticeship as a traditional goldsmith. Only recently, after working independently, Katrin has taken great delight in experimenting with ancient and modern techniques of jewellery making, like lost-mould casting, handweaving of chains, gemstone setting, hand engraving, and oxidisation of metals. Inspiration is often taken from archaeological findings of the European bronze age, architecture and nature. The materials used are mainly silver, gold and copper. These often come from old jewellery, or from silver cutlery that gets molten down to have a low impact on the environment.
560 Devon Street East, Fitzroy (Taranaki Arts Trail #10)
A conversation with Chanelle Carrick at her urban New Plymouth property, Bayly Tarraces. A 1100m2, work-in-progress, permaculture garden. Chanelle talks about the property’s unique features, being part of the Sustainable Backyards Trail. We also cover new additions to the garden, and events and workshops planned for the backyards trails this year.
94b Bayly Rd, Blagdon (Sustainable Backyards Trail #2)
Host of Hit the Trail?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
