Our shop is nestled in a corner of our property surrounded by a New Zealand-inspired garden.

The bones of the garden are remnants of the niwa from the old farm house which stood here before - a few beautiful traditional Japanese plants are dotted here and there.

These include two large Maki trees that were planted originally probably around 60 years ago and a few that have self-planted. The maki is Podocarpus macrophyllus 'Maki' or Japanese yew. It is a relative of the stately Podocarpus totara, commonly known as the tōtara, a species of podocarp tree native to New Zealand.

The garden is a huge part of our lives, connecting us back to home, creating a meaningful experience around our shop and indeed for our family.

We'd love to welcome you to visit the garden (or help out!). And if you're interested in gardening with a New Zealand twist here in Japan then read the following posts.