Blue Petal

🌿 New Plymouth Rural

Can you guess which is which? 👀

Explore these inspiring rural gardens, meet passionate local hosts, and discover a range of sustainable gardening ideas. More photos, full descriptions, and host talks are available on our website and new app: www.sustainabletrails.org.nz

🌱THE MEDICINE PLACE
Naturopath and herbalist Cat has created a showcase medicine garden on her 2 acre property, nestled high in the mountains.


💙BLUE PETAL BOTANICALS
Martina and Donald have spent 25 years of applying permaculture principles to their kitchen garden, espalier orchard, chooks, and firewood lot and six years developing an educational herb space.


🫜BLUEBELLS AND BEETROOT
Mary and Harry have transformed their 700m2 property into a productive food garden through clever planning and creative upcycling.


🌳WILD TABLE
Set on 2600m2 and flanked by a stream, Emma's garden blends wilding natives, veggie gardens, fruit trees, edible weeds and ornamental flowers.

A little throwback to yesterday's icy start ❄️

My poor nasturtium leaves got completely burned by the freeze, but Donald captured how pretty the garden looked before the sun came out and thawed it all!
Photo by Donald.


Blue Petal

This week on HERBAL WISDOM, on ARTFM Tuesdays at 10:30am

Feeling stuck in a mid-winter slump?

Tomorrow we unlock the hidden circulatory medicine hiding right inside your kitchen spice rack!
* Discover how everyday pantry staples can act as your internal central heating,
* learn a quick morning ritual to wake up a sleepy winter metabolism and
* find out how to loop your spicy kitchen leftovers back into the garden soil.

🌿 Step out of the frost and tune in live at 10:30 AM, or listen on-demand later on Spotify & Apple Podcasts!

👉 Swipe to see the kitchen medicine we’re highlighting this week!




Blue Petal ARTFM Taranaki - like no other

A crisp, sunny winter day has been the perfect backdrop for getting busy in the Blue Petal kitchen! ☀️

We are currently topping up the shelves at The Collaboration space with a fresh batch of Mangamahoe Magic Seasoning jars. If you haven't tried this blend yet, it is pure kitchen inspiration in a jar. With its rich cumin base, bright citrus notes and warm smoked paprika, it’s incredibly versatile - beautiful as a rub for winter roasts, sprinkled over roasted root vegetables or stirred into a hearty winter stew.

Speaking of winter warmth, we still have a few spaces open for our next Workshop at The Collaboration next weekend! We know times are a bit heavy and tight for everyone right now, which is exactly why we created this space - to gather by the fire, have fun and share some collective wellness.

For more info and the booking check https://www.thecollaborationnz.nz/shop/herbal-cocktails-mocktails-and-shrubs-blue-petal-workshop/.

In the meantime, pop into The Collaboration space to grab a jar of Mangamahoe Magic and smell it for yourself! ✨


Blue Petal The Collaboration Taranaki - like no other

Power was out (again!), but the plastic house was warm, dry and the perfect refuge on a wet, cold winter day. 🌿

Today was all about a good, satisfying seasonal tidy-up. Our summer tomatoes have officially finished and been pulled out, making room for the next cycle.
Meanwhile, the resilient Rocoto chilies have been harvested and pruned back, though a few brave ones are still trying to keep going!
The turmeric is tucked up safely in the ground, left to do its thing until the next checkpoint.
There is such a nice feeling in bringing order to the winter garden.

How are you spending these wild winter days? 🌶️



Blue Petal