Rooted in Nature. Arranged with Joy.
Our Story

Hi, we’re Arlette and Kevin—two flower-obsessed humans who moved to Oriental Bay and accidentally fell in love with growing dahlias… and then with growing absolutely everything else. What started as a small garden project quickly turned into a micro flower farm tucked into the hillside, buzzing with birds, bees, and the beautiful wildlife that call this place home.

A close-up of a pink dahlia flower with layered petals, surrounded by blurred green foliage and a soft white light in the background.
A woman with long brown hair smiling and holding a colorful bouquet of flowers, standing in a lush garden with a variety of blooming flowers and greenery.
A woman standing outdoors holding a large basket of colorful flowers, smiling at the camera.

Conservation

When we started this journey, our primary goal wasn't just to grow beautiful flowers; it was to increase biodiversity and create a self-regulating ecosystem.

Beyond being a grower and florist, my (Arlette's) main career is actually in conservation. A core focus of my work is looking at ecosystems from a systems perspective, understanding the benefits nature provides to us, and how everything is intricately connected.

We are incredibly lucky to live close to the Wellington green belt, which gives us a huge advantage, but we’ve also been deeply intentional about what we plant and where. When we started back in June, we struggled quite a bit with pests. Now, after establishing our perennials and native plants in the right spots, we’re seeing natural self-regulating mechanisms unfold in the garden. It is a little real-life version of Lotka–Volterra predator-prey equations playing out right in our backyard! 🙂

A bird with black feathers and a bright orange beak sitting on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves.

A juvenile Tūī growing up in our backyard

A monarch butterfly with orange and black wings perched on an orange flower.
Two pigeons perched on a wooden log in a garden with green plants and a wooden fence in the background.

Perfectly Imperfect Harmony

We believe that a beautiful garden doesn't have to be a sterile one. Our hillside is a living, breathing habitat:

  • The Monarchs: We planted lots of swan plants to give tiny monarchs the best chance at survival. Since they’ve hatched, our butterfly population has exploded. They all seem to have their favorite flowers, and watching them flutter around truly feels like home.

  • The Native Wildlife: We actively trap with Predator Free NZ and recently captured a viral video of Kererū mating right in our garden! It is our way of showcasing that gardens can be beautifully imperfect, productive, and still fiercely protect our native wildlife.

A black bird with iridescent feathers perched on a tree branch, surrounded by green leaves and blurred background.
Close-up of a pink dahlia flower with a bee on top, set against a blurred background of green and purple flowers.
A vibrant orange zinnia flower in a garden surrounded by blurred pink and purple flowers with green foliage in the background.
Close-up of pink and orange dahlias in a garden setting with a dark background.