They say twins develop a dialect of their own but perhaps married couples do too. When it comes to talking about their vision, it's lucky that interior designer Janice Kumar-Ward and her husband, Julian, a cabinetmaker, speak the same lingo.

As far as useful plants go, nothing is quite so maligned as the poor old common mint. The connection between the plant and the phrase implying something is near new or "flash"

I love how the festive season gives us license to let loose and be creative in all sorts of areas. Some people bejewel their homes with fairy lights; most tackle the interior in some way to evoke Christmas for family and guests.

Getting your umbrella in the right spot can be a surprising cause for concern as the summer sun hits. So much so that many of us, myself included, have jettisoned the idea of an umbrella altogether in favour of a sail, an extremely large hat, or a tree.

Building developer Cooper and Company has opened a new retail precinct in the $1 billion Britomart area near Auckland's waterfront.

I'm keen to spend as much time outside as possible this summer. With the deck done, it is time to turn my attention to some furniture and the first port of call is a nice table. I could just buy one, but that would be cheating.

Ponsonby Rd favourite Wallace Rose reopened its doors last month following a year's break for owner Sandra Harden.

The bees love it and so do we. Justin Newcombe extols the virtue of a purple garden treat.

Landscape gardener and Life columnist Justin answers your questions.

Justin Newcombe finds a crafty way to keep the kids happy at the bach these holidays.

Industrial design student Ben de la Roche shares his inspirations.

Wrigglers turn food waste into black gold for the garden, writes Meg Liptrot.

Justin Newcombe admits the error of his ways and gets rid of a nuisance tree in his garden.

In this hemisphere Christmas is a warm affair, so Justin Newcombe decides to take the festivities outside.

A selection of public and private items make up the treasures of Fresh Concept director Simon van Pragg.

Justin Newcombe finds replacing windows with French doors is a piece of cake - if you follow the instructions.

Landscape gardener and Life columnist Justin answers your questions.

Homewares buyer Sonia Watts' aesthetics sway towards the Gallic. Viva takes a look at some of her treasures.

To celebrate innovative houses and architecture from British programme, Grand Designs, British designer Kevin McCloud has compiled his favourite projects. Here's a few picks from the new book, The Best of Grand Designs, available now.

Good companions will join forces to weed out the nasties, says Meg Liptrot.

Justin Newcombe shares his sure-fire methods for making black spot and blight walk the plank.

With so many admirers of his new deck, Justin Newcombe decided it needed easier access.

Even everyday objects such as packaging and children's high chairs take on artistic meaning for an Auckland art curator.

A Kiwi summer is about getting out in the backyard. Danielle Wright discovers that can mean a lot more just having than a sausage sizzle.

Clusters of themed pots can lift your garden's mood, says Meg Liptrot.