Carpe Diem
Tucked behind a contemporary home on what was once a bare one-acre paddock, Carpe Diem, “seize the day”, is both the name and philosophy behind Janet McDonagh’s evolving garden. Developed over the past five years, this garden is a celebration of growth, creativity, and living in harmony with nature.
Initially planted around the newly built house, the garden has gradually expanded across the property, with more recent plantings now beginning to take shape in the wider landscape. Janet envisions a future where mature trees and easy-care plantings create a peaceful retreat, an ideal place to wander each morning.
Carpe Diem
1/28 Andrew Street
Kuripuni, Masterton
Wheelchair access, picnics, toilet, kai+coffee, selling own wares
Blending native structure with the charm of an informal country garden, visitors will find a rich tapestry of flowering plants, fruit trees, and wildflowers. A thriving edible section, worm farm, and a flock of silkie chickens and bantams add character and life. Roses, peonies, daffodils, poppies, flowering shrubs, and fruit trees provide seasonal interest, all framed by native planting that supports local biodiversity.
Janet’s gardening approach is natural and mindful, with thick layers of arborist mulch suppressing weeds and retaining moisture, while gravel areas are softened with thyme and self-seeding groundcovers. Birds, insects, and invertebrates are welcomed as essential partners in the garden’s ecosystem.
Art is woven throughout Carpe Diem, with handmade pottery, sculpture, and installations adding interest and personality. During the tour, visitors can purchase unique garden art from 2 Sisters Pottery, barbed wire sculptures by Roy Cook, and a selection of indoor plants and perennials from The Fencer’s Wife.
This is a garden where nature, creativity, and thoughtful planting come together, inviting you to pause, reflect, and truly seize the day.
GALLERY
