Exploring Design, Home, Art and Gardening since 2008. By Julia Atkinson-Dunn
As I lament in all the garden jobs I have failed to do and cope with extreme flooding, I uncover all the ways my garden forgives me for the delays and how it continues to enrich my life….even when I let it down.
Read MoreFour plants that grabbed my attention as the growing season in my garden really got started.
Read MoreSo much of what I have learned about flower gardening for my home has come from the world of small scale flower farms. Here I take a tour of a young woman’s business and marvel at how the digital age has allowed farmers to connect with their customers.
Read MoreI went crazy buying and reading a pile of newly released, New Zealand gardening publications.
Here is my low down and some terrific ideas for gifting the gardeners in your life!
It’s time. The summer season approaches.
A period that allows us, for a second, to forget the worlds turbulence and celebrate our family, friends, workmates or selves.
Whether it be putting on a spread for your bubble, or hosting your nearest and dearest, your decorator gene deserves some flexing.
And by flexing, I mean employing whatever happens to be growing in the garden as joy to sprinkle around the dining table, bathroom sink, bedside table and all the surfaces in between.
Read MoreSometimes, we need a real person to breakdown what is vital and what isn’t, as books and the Internet can get a little bogged down.
Read on for snippets of helpful advice gleaned from the recent Hurunui Garden Festival
Despite a long and growing list of favourite plants, I have no problems declaring my No.1.
Get me Oprah, a sofa and a stage to declare that Verbena bonariensis is my own Katie Holmes.
I can even remember where we first met….
I’ve always been fascinated and consumed by both art and the creative processes formed by artists.
It was with interest that I started thinking about the motivation and inspiration lying behind the work of some of my favourite New Zealand artists who, with their different methods and mediums, play with the notion of gardens and recognisable forms of flowers.
I discovered that, of the five artists I reached out to, only three of them actively gardened themselves….
Read MoreWhile home ownership is out of reach for many these days, rest assured your houseplant obsession puts you in good stead of transferring your growing to the garden.
Read MoreAs your interest in a flower garden grows, as too will your wishlist for interesting plants. Thanks to changing trends its not always easy to waltz into your local garden aisles and get what you want.
Here are my thoughts, tips and locations that have proved fruitful after some online investigating!
If I had to choose just one flowering annual to grow in my garden, it would be cosmos.
No matter what, they seem to have a built-in garden vibe that is joyous and casual, a real plus for those looking to create an informal atmosphere.
Read on to learn how easy it is to get some cosmos joy in your own garden..
I’m Julia Atkinson-Dunn
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME!
Here, you’ll find my ongoing adventures of creating art - oil pastel and painted landscapes, mixed media botanicals, plus some writing and information about me!
Studio Home began as NZ’s first design blog, launching in 2018 as a champion of NZ/AUS creative talent.
Since then I have used this space to continue exploring design and art as well as deeply investigating gardening through the publishing of three books and the launch of Unearthed in 2023.
Julia xo
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