Even in her final days, Shirley Greenhill was doggedly determined to have her “happy place” open for this year’s Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival. “She was still in the garden the day before we took her up to the hospital,” her son Stuart Greenhill said. “She was absolutely exhausted, but she'd still go out.”

Set across one and a half acres, Nikau Grove is a peaceful native sanctuary nurtured by owners Ian and Elsie Lind over many years. In this Q&A, Elsie shares how her passion for nature has shaped the garden’s evolution, her efforts to support the surrounding birdlife and the memorable visitors who’ve left a lasting impression. What keeps you coming back to the festival year after year? Seeing visitors really enjoying the garden and the people seeking knowledge about plants an