Dominion Road, Mt Roskill, Auckland

My little patch of dirt.

Over the years I’ve mostly focussed on the garden. I have found this very enjoyable and therapeutic. I tend to it at least once a week, usually on the weekend. I did the hard and soft landscaping myself in 2011, at a low point in my life, and it gave me a sense of pride and purpose. I harvest all the herbs I use from this garden, and I used to grow quite a few vegetables, but my dog likes to run up and down the veggie patch now! Only silverbeet and spinach seem to survive.

At the start of 2016, I built some raised planters out of heart macrocarpa. Sadly, these have come to the end of their life after 8 years. I no longer use timber in the ground now, it just doesn’t last, and I’m firmly of the opinion that you should build something once that will outlast you. In place of the timber planters I will get some big ceramic pots for little fruit trees.

I would like to have more room for veggies and compost, but I’m happy with my worm farm at present.

The building is a brick veneer unit, one of four, built in 1939. It has character, is the perfect size, and was built by proper craftspeople out of real materials.

I’m going to focus my efforts on the inside now and renovate it with my little brother, my German cabinetmaker, and my Russian stonemason.

We will be using Shaker style cabinetry, Atlantis quartzite countertops, tadelakt splash-backs, cathedral glass, beveled glass, cane webbing panels, a clawfoot bath, vintage lighting, native timber framing/sarking/trim, clay plaster, and brass plumbing fittings.

This is where I live, and this is where I work.

I love my little piece of earth!