The Atkinson’s garden in Auckland’s North Shore

An Auckland couple, Dave and Phoebe Atkinson, transformed their bare Forrest Hill section into a lush, upcycled urban garden. Their philosophy centres on repurposing salvaged materials, demonstrated by a glasshouse built from discarded windows and planters from recycled sleepers.

The garden serves as a peaceful retreat from their people-focused careers, offering tangible results and satisfaction. They encourage others to start garden projects early, mulch well, and find creative ways to reuse materials instead of buying new.