Growing the Future – A Sneak Peek at the Trails in 2026

Sophie chats with new Sustainable Trails Co-Coordinator Suzy Randall about the exciting road ahead for Taranaki Sustainable Trails 2026.

Get to know Suzy, hear what inspires her about the kaupapa, and discover what makes the Trails such a special celebration of community, creativity and connection with te taiao.

From sustainable backyards and eco-builds to regenerative farming and local storytelling, this episode offers a sneak peek at what’s coming in 2026 — plus key dates, upcoming events, and ways to get involved and keep in the loop.

Play the episode here

Podcast: Hit the Trails!

Hit the Trails is a collaboration between the Taranaki Sustainable Trails, Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival and Taranaki Arts Trail thanks to Access Radio Taranaki 104.4 FM. Join Virginia Winder, Sophie Walker and Nelson Smart as they take you behind the scenes of Taranaki’s iconic festivals where you’ll find insights into gardens, art, and sustainable living.

Access all episodes here.

Ep 1: Magpie’s REst

In this episode, 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 Builds Trail.

Ep. 1: You’ll also here from Virginia where she visits Cairnhill in Toko with June Lees, uncovering the magic of heritage gardens in full bloom for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival. And Nelson and Virginia sit down with artist JD Reid to explore creativity, craft, and connection on the Taranaki Arts Trail.

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Ep 2: Lil Slice

Sophie heads out to Korito to chat with Stu from Stu & Wendy’s Lil' Slice of sustainable paradise. Their journey is packed with laughter, inspiration, and clever tips, plus some brilliant hacks to keep your own backyard humming.

Ep. 2: You’ll also hear from Virginia Winder when she 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. 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.

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EP 3: Silk Farm

Sophie discusses planting, power and 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.

Ep. 3: You’ll also 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, and from 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.

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EP 4: Bushlies Farm

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.

Ep. 4: You’ll also hear from Lee & Roland Brumley who welcome us into their Carrington Rd garden and chat with Virginia about The Yews that featured in NZ House & Garden magazine; 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.

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EP 5: Hobart haven

Hear about the backyard revolution at Hobart Haven, Hayley and Seton Bennell’s vibrant space. From relocating their whare to repurposing its parts throughout the māra, this creative duo are walking the talk of the 4 R’s: Refuse, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. They share their story of building a vibrant, sustainable space, the kaupapa of shared native trees, and how a little imagination goes a long way. Tune in for laughs, inspiration, and practical tips to make your own backyard more eco-friendly, beautiful, and full of life.

Ep. 5: You’ll also hear 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. Plus, Nelson and Virginia chat with stone carver Kevin McDonald whose passion lies with his hammer and chisel ahead of the Taranaki Arts Trail.

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EP 6 Heart & Soil

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.

Ep. 6: You’ll also hear from Virginia who 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. 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.

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Ep 7 blue cypress haven

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.

Ep. 7: You’ll also hear from Virginia Winder as she 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. 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.

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EP 8 Fenton st

Sophie Walker heads to Stratford’s Fenton Street Art Collective for the Taranaki Sustainable Builds Trail, where Jo Stallard and Stuart Greenhill share how they transformed Egmont Chambers into a café, distillery and creative hub using reclaimed materials.

You’ll also hear from Virginia Winder who 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. Virginia also meets Alana Ruakere, whose expressive abstract paintings in bold primary colours will be on show for the Taranaki Arts Trail.

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EP 9 creekside cottage

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.

You’ll also hear from Virginia Winder and Nelson Smart who 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. 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.

Horticulture student on the Trail

In a medium-sized backyard in Waitara, WITT horticulture student Kate Parker, and her husband Finn, have created a thriving garden, Māra Kai, which will be part of this year’s Sustainable Backyards Trail.

What started as a small project five years ago has grown into an ever-evolving labour of love blending productive gardening, sustainability and visual beauty.

Visitors to their garden will find a kitchen garden bursting with seasonal produce, a colourful cut flower patch and a developing food forest. Tropical plants, a functional greenhouse and carefully planned growing spaces show what can be achieved on an urban section with creativity and commitment.

“I’ve always been passionate about gardening, and studying horticulture through WITT has taken my knowledge and confidence to the next level,” says Kate.

“I’ve learned how to properly identify pests and plant diseases, understand what causes them, and how to manage them effectively. The course also deepened my understanding of building healthy soil - knowing the right components and balance needed to support strong plant growth.

“On top of that, I’ve gained hands-on skills in propagation and grafting, which has opened so many new possibilities in my garden. It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience for any gardener looking to grow their skills and understanding.”

Māra Kai also demonstrates practical sustainability in action. Rainwater is collected for irrigation, chickens help with pest control and egg supply, worm farms recycle food scraps, and multiple compost bins return nutrients to the soil.

For Kate and Finn, these systems are about more than convenience. “It’s a way of building resilience and modelling solutions other young families can follow,” says Kate.

“We wanted to show that you don’t need a big lifestyle block to grow a lot of your own food. With a bit of planning, you can create a productive, beautiful space in an ordinary backyard.”

Carl Freeman, horticulture tutor at WITT, said it was inspiring to see students applying their learning in real-world contexts. “It’s one thing to study horticulture, but it’s another to implement it at home and be brave enough to invite the community in. Students like Kate are showing how horticultural skills can make a huge impact in the home, work, and community.”

As part of the Sustainable Backyards Trail, Kate’s garden will be open for visitors to explore, ask questions and take away practical ideas for their own properties. Seedlings will be available for purchase, and the site is wheelchair accessible.

Māra Kai open hours:

• 1–2 November 10am to 4pm (Saturday and Sunday)

• 8–9 November 10am to 4pm (Saturday and Sunday)

 The Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail runs from 31 October to 9 November. Aotearoa’s longest running sustainable gardening festival, it comprises three sections: Backyards, Builds and Farms Trais, with a plethora of workshops, talks, tastings and tours. https://www.sustainablebackyards.org.nz/

For more information about studying horticulture at WITT: https://www.witt.ac.nz/study/primary-industries/food-and-fibre-production/

Caption: (title image) Kate harvesting home-grown kai in her Waitara garden with her daughter (Photo credit - Fran Parker)

Celebrating Sustainable Living & Local Ingenuity

Scoop.co.nz

Wednesday, 13 August 2025, 6:58 pm

Taranaki’s most inspiring sustainability showcase is back. The Taranaki Sustainable Trails 2025 programme has officially launched today, inviting locals and visitors to explore 42 unique properties and over 50 events across the region to plan your Trails adventure.

From thriving farms and edible backyards to innovative builds, school and community gardens, this year’s Trails celebrate the creativity and commitment of everyday changemakers. Each property or event offers a glimpse into practical solutions for living sustainably and regeneratively.

The 2025 programme reflects the array of highly knowledgeable, curious and innovative community and business members alike who are making moves to live, build and farm with the environment in mind.

“I enjoyed sharing my mission with visitors and helping to share knowledge and learn, and inspire/be inspired by those that attend” – 2024 Backyard host.

Visitors can expect hands-on workshops, free and koha talks, guided tours, seasonal tastings, and conversations that spark new ideas and connections.

Whether you're a seasoned trail-goer or a first-time explorer, this year’s lineup promises something for everyone. Tickets for events are now available online, with early booking encouraged due to limited availability.

“The Blue Petal tour was fantastic, the host superbly knowledgeable and friendly . A real treat seeing what can be accomplished in our Taranaki climate. So inspirational.” – 2024 Sustainable Trails attendee

The Sustainable Trails is proud to work alongside at the same time as the Centuria Garden Festival and the Taranaki Arts Trail, be sure to include these properties in your Taranaki Trails adventure.

Sustainable Trails programme highlights:

• 42 properties across Taranaki, including backyards, school and community gardens, farms and builds.

• 50+ events from talks from architects and builders through to hands-on workshops for garden cocktail

• Opportunities to connect with local hosts, learn practical skills, and support regenerative initiatives

• Affordable and educational opportunities for the whole whānau

• Printed Trail booklets available at key community hubs with all information and booking available online.

Where to purchase Backyard Bundle cards and find booklets:

Booklets are available across Taranaki, including café’s, garden centres, libraries and local businesses. The following community hubs will have booklets and also sell our Bundle Cards (5 backyards for $12) that come with a packet of seeds.

New Plymouth, Waitara & Ōākura

• EnviroHub, 28 Brooklands Park Drive, New Plymouth

• Crazy Pumpkin, 1 Katere Road, Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth

• Crazy Pumpkin,195 Courtenay Street, New Plymouth

• Binn Inn, 61 McLean Street, Waitara

• Dawn, 1143 South Road, Ōākura

Stratford

• Crazy Pumpkin, 156 Broadway, Stratford

Hāwera

• The Gathering Café, 121 High Street, Hāwera

• Landscape Essentials, 15 Albert Street

For full programme details and ticket bookings, visit www.sustainablebackyards.org.nz

2025: Growing Ideas, Growing Community

This spring, the Taranaki Sustainable Trails returns for its 11th year—bigger, bolder, and more inspiring than ever.

From October 31 to November 16, the region will come alive with 42 open properties and over 50 events designed to spark curiosity, connection, and action. After the success of last year, you'll now find sustainable backyards, builds and farms as part of the lineup.

What began as a community garden trail over a decade ago has flourished into Aotearoa’s longest-running sustainability showcase. In 2025, the event spans backyard gardens, regenerative farms, and eco-conscious builds—each one offering practical ideas and heartfelt stories from locals walking the talk.

Each property and host have their own unique story of trying things a bit differently, perseverance and ingenuity. With a mixture of returning and new properties, our incredible hosts will kōrero with you to share what they have learned, their ideas and tips that have manifested into the backyard, build or farm you will experience. 

We have worked with generous sponsors and supporters to develop an exciting list of events this year. With notable speakers covering topics from growing your own mushrooms to electrifying your farm, our events are affordable and expansive.
Be sure to book your tickets, spaces are limited and they will sell out!

Backyards: Affordable, Family-Friendly, & Full of Learning

Whether you're a seasoned gardener, a curious parent, or just starting your sustainability journey, our Backyards Trail has something for everyone. With a growing number of whānau friendly events, the Backyards Trail is designed to be accessible, welcoming, and packed with opportunities to learn—composting, growing, reusing, resource efficiency and so much more. Pick and choose where and how you’ll learn. 

What you need to know: Key information for Sustainable Trails 2025

Preparation is key when planning your Sustainable Trails adventure this year, so here’s some tips from the our team:

1. Know what’s on and when

• Backyards Trail (31 Oct – 9 Nov) with 21 backyards open 10am-4pm weekends and various midweek hours, plus 8 community and school gardens with set hours. 

  Explore creative, healthy low-cost garden setups and meet the passionate people behind them. All 2025 properties are listed here.

• Builds & Farms Trails (10 - 16 Nov) with 11 properties, each offering set tours. All builds and farms tours must be booked through online registration. 

  Builds: Visit eco-conscious homes, businesses and community hubs with sustainability in mind throughout the design and build process. See all builds here.

  Farms: Walk through regenerative farms, organic orchards, and learn how farmers are adopting different measures to be more environmentally minded and sustainable on their farms. See all farms here. 

• Over 50 events including free and koha talks at host properties. Bookings need to be made in advance. 

• Info & booking for all events is on the website: sustainablebackyards.org.nz

2. How much does it cost?

• Backyard visits are $3 cash (or use Backyard Bundle cards $12 for 5 entries plus seeds).

• Builds and farms tours are mostly free, although some have a small charge and inclusions (all require registration to secure a spot)

• Backyards, builds and farms events are a range of prices, from free up to $85, and bookings must be made for all events online. 

3. Backyards are for everyone!

• Dogs. This year, you can visit nine of our backyards with your four-legged friends. Dogs must be on lead, and don’t forget to bring your doggie bag. 

• Services. Many backyards are wheelchair accessible, have a wharepaku available, or seedlings for sale. 

• Kids. There are dedicated activities for kids at 13 whānau-friendly backyards, including community and school garden events. 

4. Get around (sustainably)

• Join an eBike tour around urban backyards or know where you can secure your bike if pedalling independently.

• Book yourself on a Lil’ Boutique Mini Bus Tour – for a special small-group backyards tour including lunch.

• Carpool with friends and family if you can.

• Tag us on socials in a photo of you with your bike helmet at a backyard and get free seeds! 

We want to thank all of our hosts, sponsors and supporters for making this event happen. 

Interested in learning more about Taranaki Sustainable Trails 2025?

• Visit Taranaki Sustainable Trails website - www.sustainablebackyards.org.nz

• Book events on the Taranaki Sustainable Trails

• Visit and follow Taranaki Sustainable Trails on Facebook and on Instagram.

• Make contact with the organisers of Taranaki Sustainable Trails via Sustainable Taranaki

DIY Backyard Videos

Learn simple tips to grow your own food with our DIY videos. Now is the perfect time to get in your garden.

Rainwater Collection

Seed Propagation and Cold frames

Lasagne Layering

Hit the Trail Podcast: Kahu Glen

Hit the Trail is a seasonal community show on Access Radio Taranaki 104.4 FM dedicated to showcasing the annual Taranaki Arts Trail 🎨, the Centuria Garden Festival 🌹 and the Taranaki Sustainable Trails.

In the lead-up to these events, artists, gardeners, and community members of all ages talk about their passion, their inspiration, and the hard work that goes into making it a joyful and interesting experience for visitors. Listen to artists and gardeners talk about their art and the practical and inventive solutions they’ve found to common and vexing problems.

Listen to full episode on Access Radio Taranaki

Kahu Glen (starts at 29.30 sec)

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.  

Hit the Trail Podcast: Bayly Terraces

Hit the Trail is a seasonal community show on Access Radio Taranaki 104.4 FM dedicated to showcasing the annual Taranaki Arts Trail 🎨, the Centuria Garden Festival 🌹 and the Taranaki Sustainable Trails.

In the lead-up to these events, artists, gardeners, and community members of all ages talk about their passion, their inspiration, and the hard work that goes into making it a joyful and interesting experience for visitors. Listen to artists and gardeners talk about their art and the practical and inventive solutions they’ve found to common and vexing problems.

Listen to full episode on Access Radio Taranaki

Bayly Terraces (starts at 29.30 sec)

A conversation with Chanelle Carrick at her urban New Plymouth property.  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. 

What's new in 2024!

The new coordinator of the Sustainable Trails, Jen Hammonds, shares what’s coming up in 2024.

• Celebrating 10 years of Sustainable Backyards

• Launch of two new trails for Sustainable farms and builds!

1 June 2024 Most FM

Jen Hammonds

Hit the Trail Podcasts

Hit the Trail is a seasonal community radio show dedicated to showcasing the annual Taranaki Arts Trail 🎨, the Centuria Garden Festival 🌹 and the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail.

In the lead-up to these events, Mikaela Nyman interviews artists, gardeners, and community members of all ages about their passion, their inspiration, and the hard work that goes into making it a joyful and interesting experience for visitors. Listen to artists and gardeners talk about their art and the practical and inventive solutions they’ve found to common and vexing problems.

Viv and Rob weave creativity and sustainability into their 1-acre urban farmlet. Explore organic, no-dig and lasagne garden beds, as well as orchards, a food forest and natives. Learn about companion planting, ducks and chickens, DIY fertilisers, windbreaks, rainwater harvesting and irrigation, solar power and storage, predator control, compostable toilets, and soil recovery. Harvest provides food but also dye and fibres from cordage, paper making and basketry. Based 18 Halse Place, Ōpunake(Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail #16)

Kate and Finn started their ever-evolving labour of love three years ago. The property combines aspects of food production and sustainability while maintaining visual aesthetics. The property hopes to show other young families what can be achieved on an urban section while balancing work, family, and property maintenance. Māra Kai is like a mullet - business in the front and party at the back. Based 6 Mouatt Street, Waitara (Taranaki Sustainable Back Yards Trail #25)

Martina and Donald's kitchen garden is based on organic principles and sits centre of their 2-hectare property. Explore raised garden beds surrounded by a Douglas Fir field as a wood for posterity, a eucalyptus patch for firewood, and a terraced espalier and herb field - part of Blue Petal herbal and honey production. Learn about mulch uses, composting, worm farming, comfrey liquid fertilising, recycling, and much more. Based 335 Maude road, Korito (Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail #8)

Keep Listening!

#accessmedianz #yourvoiceyourchoice

📻104.4 FM Taranaki-wide

📱streamed via the accessmedia.nz app

💻available on-demand through accessradiotaranaki.com

He Reo Hapori – the voice of the community Taranaki, Aotearoa/ NZ. Community Access Media is supported by NZ On Air and is part of CAMA - Community Access Media Alliance

A record year!

10 days, 30 backyards, 52 hosts, 100 events, and 7541 visitors!

RNZ Podcast

Tricia Thompson's Urban Chickens

Listen to Tricia Thompson, host of Eco Gran's Garden, share some tips and tricks on spring gardening and the benefits of chooks for your garden.

The Benefits of Chooks in your garden

Urban Forest

Mood Magazine

Change Starts in your Backyard, and ways to get started at home

Read the full issue here and refer to page 61