Late Season at Leafy Hollow

As summer winds down and autumn beckons, this is a time to reflect on the end of the growing season and make plans for the one to come.

Leafy Hollow has welcomed many and varied visitors this summer – including casual weekend visitors, retirement villages and care homes, private parties, and large garden groups of 30+. Popular products have been sold and restocked continuously. It has been a good season.

So now we look to the future, and plan more efficient ways of managing this beautiful (but often unruly) natural environment. Transformations are taking place weekly as we move into the next exciting phase of development.

A message I just received from a recent visitor is too good not to share:

“I loved your place, so peaceful and kind of nostalgic, and it reminds me of a setting for a fabulous romantic movie!”

Greetings from Leafy Hollow,

- Pauline Livesey, Owner

Glorious sunrise at Leafy Hollow.

IN THE GARDEN ROOM

Botanical Workshops

We offer a range of botanical workshops at Leafy Hollow. These workshops are hands-on and interactive, so numbers are limited. Take a look at what's coming up below and make sure to mark your calendars and get in touch to book your spot.

Workshops typically run for two hours. The cost for 2026 is $65 per person, which includes all materials and morning/afternoon tea. Participants take home their botanical creations.

Bookings Essential

You can book via the workshops form on the website - please advise the name and date of the workshop you are booking. Or, you can contact Pauline directly, via email, or mobile: 021 264 8654.

Workshop Reviews

Date & Time

Saturday, 4 April 2026

10:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Cost

$65.00 per person. Includes all materials and morning tea.

*Note: Your Cold Process soap block needs time to set and ‘cure’. It will be sent to you in 6 weeks’ time.

Workshop Format

10:00AM – Introductions

10:15AM – Melt & Pour Soapmaking

11:00AM – Morning Tea

11:15AM – Cold Process Soapmaking*

12:00PM – Add finishing touches to Melt & Pour soaps.

12.30PM – Finish. Take home your Melt & Pour soap.

Next Workshop: Botanical Soap Making

Join us for a hands-on experience in the garden workshop. Learn the Melt & Pour and Cold Press soapmaking processes using fragrance, colour and texture.

Creating Beautiful Balms

Saturday, 25 April 2026 | 1:00PM – 3:30PM

Lip Balm, Sleep Balm, Breathe Easy Balm, Muscle Rub

Cleanse & Tone

Saturday, 09 May 2026

The Sensory Art of Natural Perfumery

Saturday, 29 June 2026

Creams & Lotions

Saturday, 30 May 2026

Find out more about these workshops, and register, below.

Private Workshops & Garden Tours

Looking for a unique experience for your group? We offer private botanical workshops and guided garden tours by appointment.

Upcoming Workshops Schedule

"A lovely morning tea was provided, along with a lot of knowledge about various plants and their uses. So, thank you for a wonderful experience - and I got to bring home 2 atomisers made from plants I had chosen."

- Caron.

FORAGING & DISTILLATION, 7 MARCH 2026

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Pamper Hard-Working Hands

Huoata Night Repair Cream | $28 for 100g

Gifts from the land to nurture your hands. Originally formulated for gardeners, this nourishing cream contains a unique blend of natural/organic ingredients, including camellia oil, kawakawa, calendula, essential oils, shea, mango and cocoa butters.

Camellia oil was treasured by the Geisha girls of Japan to keep their skin smooth and blemish-free. Combined with rosehip oil these two key ingredients may help reduce damage caused by long exposure to the sun’s rays, soften scars and accelerate cell regeneration.

Did you know that University of Auckland researchers have identified 60 biologically active compounds in kawakawa leaves? Rongoa Maori have traditionally used this New Zealand native plant to help cure several ills.

The combination of shea, mango and cocoa butters provides a thick balm-like cream to protect and nourish your hands as you sleep.

The evocative fragrance of summer meadows, created by this unique blend of essential oils, will help you drift effortlessly into sleep. Sweet dreams.

Ingredients (*organic*):

Lavandula x intermedia Hydrosol (aqua), Butyrospermum Parkii Seed Butter, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Soy Lecithin (non-GMO), Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Rosa Canina Fruit Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis & Helianthus Annus Seed Oil, Macropiper Excelsum & Vegetable Glycerin, Cera Alba, Tocopherol, Benzyl Alcohol & Salicylic Acid & Glycerin & Sorbic Acid (Eco certified), Sodium Chloride.

Essential oils: Lavandula x intermedia (Super),Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, *Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, (Linalool, Geraniol, Citral, Limonene, Citronellol – naturally occurring in essential oils).

What's New

Birdbox Studio and Gallery

Birdbox Studio and Gallery has been attracting lots of interest from visitors. People are enjoying interacting with the sculptures, viewing the paintings and reading samples of Tom’s poetry. Below right is detail from Tom's painting 'Liquid Amber'.

Tom has recently developed a wonderful website to showcase his work and share his plans for the future. Check it out below...

IN THE GARDEN

Autumn Gardening Tips

It’s a magical time of year in the Leafy Hollow garden as summer gives way to autumn. It’s a treasure trove of beautiful late-season colour and fruits to harvest.

Deadheading

Keep dead-heading the roses and dahlias to encourage fresh blooms.

Cuttings

Now is the perfect time to take your autumn lavender cuttings. Choose plants with healthy, new growth and cut stems 5-10cm long. Strip the leaves off the bottom. Nip out the growing tip from the top. Put the cuttings in a tray of coarse sand or light pumice. Mist regularly and keep in a warm environment with plenty of natural light. By next spring you should have plenty of well-rooted little plants.

Pruning

Prune back your lavender bushes by approximately one third. This keeps a good shape and prevents them from going ‘woody’.

Looking Good Right Now

It’s time to tackle the prolific growth of this past season. Here at Leafy Hollow, heaps of tree branches and hedge trimmings are waiting to be taken down the paddock and added to the huge bonfire pile.

Come for a Ramble

Did you know that the Leafy Hollow gardens are often open to the public on the weekends? Unless there is a workshop or event on (in which case, the gardens are closed), you are welcome to come for a ramble. Please just make sure to check our website or Facebook page for open times before you drive out, to avoid disappointment.

What Our Visitors Say

GROUP TOUR | 4 MARCH 2026

"We stopped by on a rainy day and had a great experience there! Pauline showed us her beautiful garden and talked through the variety of lavender and herbs she is growing there. Her son, Tom, is an artist. It was a pleasure to sneak a peek at his workshop and see some of the works! Highly recommended."

- PATUMAHOE GARDEN GROUP.

(Rated 5 Stars on Google)

CASUAL GARDEN VISIT

"A most interesting morning hearing about the different types of lavender, and the distillery process. I would highly recommend Leafy Hollow to any garden group or just casual visitors. Pauline was an excellent speaker and so informative. Hearing about the distillery process was really fascinating."

- IRINA GOLUBEVA.

(Rated 5 Stars on Google)

Leafy Hollow Botanicals

Explore our botanical garden and skincare products and visit the onsite Birdbox Art Gallery.

Contact

leafyh66@gmail.com

+64 021 264 8654

© 2026. All rights reserved.

Garden, Gallery & Shop

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