Make your home your sanctuary

Creating a peaceful environment in your home doesn’t have to be hard. Adding a touch of lush greenery – such as a large ‘Peace Lily’ - can instantly set the mood giving you that relaxing jungle feel. These quiet gentle giants also purify the air – cleansing the oxygen you breathe.

DENISE LUTGE, POKENO

I created this sanctuary in my lounge, overlooking the Waikato River. The side table is made out of pressed flowers from my Odontoglossum orchids in resin poured into a wooden frame. The rest are hoyas, dracaenas, ficus and other beautiful foliage plants.

ALISON MOORE, MURUPARA

I pick up sick plants or small cuttings and nurse them back to health. I admit I can’t go into town and not come back with a plant or five. At last count, I have 200 pot plants. I’m the ultimate crazy plant collector.

ANN MIDSON, WHANGĀREI

I discovered my love of large, lush plants when I moved to Wellington in the 1990s. Weeks in, feeling out of sorts, I realised the malaise of the past weeks was a “plantsickness” for home. Plants have been a pick-me-up whenever I have needed one since.

PENE BARTON, AUCKLAND

In our apartment’s urban jungle, my husband is chief plant rearranger while I’m CEO of pest control and health management. Our two-yearold son Hunter has put himself in charge of spontaneous repotting and violent pruning though.