Mosaic Magic New Zealand Style

Jan 20, 2026 | By Karen Chapman | Uncategorized | art,  artist,  combinations,  New Zealand,  Travel | 4 Comments
Just when you think you've seen it all….you discover the magical  Giant's House, perched high on a hill in Akaroa, so-named by a small child who declared that the imposing home must belong to a giant since it was so big. Yet the size of the home is modest compared to the imagination of its artist creator Josie Martin. Our fun-loving tour group was able to meet Josie and visit her home and garden during our recent tour to New Zealand.

The house was the first bank managers house in Akaroa, built in 1880. While the area immediately surrounding the home is flat, the remainder of the garden is terraced over many levels

Initially recognized as a painter specializing in abstract art, Josie turned to sculpture in 1993. This medium provided opportunities to infuse her colorful ideas into whimsical mosaic creations that delight and excite in equal measure.

Swimmers were bound to catch my eye! The central area was a mini paddling pool.

There were so many layers of detail in every element. The longer one looked, the more one saw

Just when you think you've seen everything, you round another corner to be surprised yet again.

This is a garden where you could write a new story for every scene. Here we have Eve tempting Adam perhaps – but he has a watermelon on his head…and yet the snake is writhing between them.

Even the water fountain was an elaborate mosaic!

Yet this garden was so much more than just an art installation. Each vignette was carefully detailed and perfectly integrated with the colors of the surrounding flowers and foliage.

Mosaic figures juggle balls giving form to an undulating wall, but notice the repetition of yellow and red in the poppies growing at the base of that wall and the yellow flowers above. Both serve to frame and enhance the scene as does the carefully clipped low hedge

The Blues….one happy face, one 'blue' face, the color repeated with flowers and mosaic details

  Many of the pieces invited interaction – and my tour guests could be heard laughing with child-like glee as they posed for photographs with the larger-than-life sculptures.

And yes our lovely Sue really is an angel 🙂 but who is that sitting next to her? Any why is a wolf peering over his shoulder?

Waiting for the chef to get lunch ready

This scene anchored the main garden and was truly outstanding. The details on the piano, the bench, the band and even the wall which featured a mosaic musical stave – incredible. And our lovely Kathy was the perfect guest to complete the scene.

  What did we learn? Not to take ourselves or our gardens too seriously! Enjoy life, embrace color and live in the moment.

One of my favorite pieces – you could almost hear this cat blowing a raspberry !

I carefully select each garden on every tour, balancing styles, sizes, concepts and even the owners personalities at times! My aim is to stretch our imagination, broaden our understanding and be open to new discoveries  and while I know this garden wasn't everyone's favorite, it was certainly one we would all remember.

Join me!

I have lots of exciting tours lined up for the future  – come and join the adventure.

Subscribe to Receive Blog Posts

Gardening inspiration delivered right to your inbox from Le Jardinet

Poppy Love

annuals,  deer,  design | 4 Comments

  Summer has finally arrived in Seattle, beginning as it always does on July 5th. I therefore didn't take much convincing when my husband suggested a day out. Even less so when he suggested we visited some of my favorite nurseries on the Kitsap peninsula! Sunscreen, camera and a large tarp were loaded in no…
Read More →

Getting Black and Blue – without injury!

annuals,  combinations,  deer,  design,  foliage,  grasses,  perennials,  shrubs | 12 Comments

I found myself wandering around the garden yesterday with a wheelbarrow full plants in need of a new home – a  lonely blue star juniper, a beautiful blue scabious just starting to bloom and several sections of a blue hosta. The question was, where should I put them? Sound familiar? I spend a lot of…
Read More →

Containers – Sassy or Classy?

annuals,  books,  combinations,  container design,  deciduous trees,  design,  foliage,  grasses,  perennials,  shrubs | 8 Comments

  When it comes to color schemes for container gardens the only limitation is your imagination. To avoid the mad professor look it does help to have a plan before you hit the nurseries, however. In my last post we looked at ‘happy’ colors and a romantic theme. Here are another couple of options my…
Read More →

Color Inspiration for Container Gardens

annuals,  combinations,  container design,  fragrance,  perennials,  shrubs,  spring | 4 Comments

This is an exciting time of year for container garden designers. I was asked recently if I ever ran out of ideas. Well it hasn't happened yet thanks in no small part to my clients themselves who like to keep me on my gardening toes! Here are a couple of this year’s requests and my…
Read More →

A New Look for Cape Fuchsias

container design,  perennials,  shrubs,  wildlife | 7 Comments

I love presents, especially when they are plants (or wine, or chocolate). So I was thrilled when Skagit Gardens in Washington State offered to send me some plants to try out. Now please understand that Skagit does not pay me for my time nor bribe me to write nice things about them or their plants.…
Read More →

Fun foliage that you can eat (mostly)

annuals,  combinations,  container design,  deer,  design,  edible,  foliage,  fragrance,  herbs,  perennials | 8 Comments

  At this time of year it isn’t unusual for me to be designing 60 or more container gardens a week. Each client has their own preferences in terms of color and style but all expect a ‘wow’ factor. And I expect to deliver! My biggest challenge is always to find fabulous foliage which works…
Read More →

Can smoke in the garden be a good thing?

combinations,  design,  foliage,  shrubs | 11 Comments

  Call it a revelation, but I think I may like smoking smoke bushes after all. I've been somewhat of a smoke snob until recently. Smoke bushes (Cotinus species) are fabulous foliage shrubs without a  doubt. Yet the classic  'Royal purple' smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria 'Royal purple'), with or without its fluffy pink 'smoke' (flowers) has just never…
Read More →

Top 5 deer-resistant annuals (I hope)

annuals,  combinations,  cut flowers,  deer,  design,  drought tolerant,  wildlife | 13 Comments

  I need more plants. One of the joys and frustrations of starting a new garden is watching it grow. For once I’m trying to be restrained and allow room for the trees, shrubs and perennials to expand to their natural shape and size without jostling neighbors yet that means I can see bare soil…
Read More →

A Special Bouquet for Mother’s Day

books,  cut flowers,  design,  sustainable | 10 Comments

  Flowers are the quintessential gift for Mother’s day. They are available everywhere – from cellophane wrapped bouquets at the gas station to artful arrangements at the florists. Yet do you know where these flowers come from or how they were grown? Do you care? Truthfully my answer to both of these questions used to…
Read More →

Sunset Inspiration

combinations,  deciduous trees,  design,  foliage,  grasses,  perennials,  shrubs,  spring,  trees | 10 Comments

I’ll often ask clients what their color preferences are for container garden plantings or as a palette for a new garden border. It can often be hard for them to articulate, however, and ends up being a series of Q & A – reds? Yes. Oranges?  Not sure.  Blues? Maybe. I find that I need…
Read More →

Welcome to My Garden Adventures

SE6A7058

I'm a serious plant-aholic. In other words I'm usually covered in a layer or two of soil, I drive everywhere with a large tarp for impromptu plant purchases and I'm truly passionate about sharing the joys of gardening.

Buy My Books Here!

a-logo-amazon
A1mqTzUr9bL._SL1500_
Shop Now
A1Q17hIXwTL._SL1500_
Shop Now
91M8zsA8EJL._SL1500_
Shop Now

Container Gardening Course

Enter KCHAPMAN20 to get 20% off

Architecture, interior design, and more ∨

Use the help of top home decorators to select matching bedside tables and a new lamp shade for your own bedroom design.
Collect and share photos of bathroom tile, bathroom vanities, shower curtains and bathroom mirrors to create your perfect home decorating style.

TV Interview

Search

Tags

annuals art artist bark berries birds books bulbs Christmas climbers combinations conifers container design cut flowers deciduous trees deer design drought tolerant edible England event fall First Editions Focal points foliage fountains fragrance grasses groundcover indoor plants Monrovia Nature path patios perennials Proven Winners seeds shrubs spring succulents Travel trees water gardens wildlife winter

Archives