Years of record breaking droughts, ferocious winds, searing summer temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius, along with harsh frosts and freezing winters of -15 degrees Celsius are not ideal conditions to create a 6-star Garden of National Significance.

Flaxmere Garden 50 years of extremes tells the captivating story of how Penny and John Zino battled the extremes to successfully create the 3.2 hectare garden that attracts about 4000 visitors from New Zealand and around the world each year.

Lavishly illustrated with over 80 pages of full-colour images, Flaxmere Garden 50 years of extremes shares Penny’s design philosophy, along with her choice of plants and planting combinations, and her valuable insights gained from fifty years creating an award-winning garden in a challenging environment. The theme of extremes also relates to how the personal circumstances of the Zino family shaped the development of the garden.

Flaxmere Garden 50 years of extremes is a beautifully illustrated inspirational story, and a source of practical advice for garden designers facing challenging environments. The book, published on 15 October 2017, may be purchased directly from Penny for $45.00 (plus postage and packing).