Joyce Young calls it her little piece of dirt - her townhouse garden at the end of a quiet cul de sac, a stone's throw from the New Plymouth racecourse.
Joyce is an "original", one of those first to be involved in Taranaki's rhododendron festival, the precursor to what is now known as the Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular. And her garden is among the 49 lined up for this year's event running from October 31 to November 9.
She's had gardens on farm properties around the Taranaki coast but a shift into the city to her 400sq m townhouse section has meant a considerable downsizing. That she's only been there five years speaks more of her passion and determination in the garden than anything.
The garden's ordered in terms of its gathering of colours and layering of plant types. It's about making the absolute best use of small spaces.
There's also a pottery kiln against one boundary, a place where she also creates wonderful work, much of it shown off around her section. It's work that resonates of the Taranaki landscape - the mountain, the land and the coastline. And it's reflected in her water colour and pastel artwork.