Returning to the land has always been a dream of mine. Many years ago my family and I ran Treescapes Tree Nursery in Queenstown. When my kids had all grown up and moved away, I felt an urge to move back to that way of life and to embrace a new challenge. So I enrolled in a horticulture course at Cromwell Polytechnic and studied soil science and plant life for one year.
I went travelling and worked on organic farms and vineyards in Europe, learning the ropes from the experts who had devoted their lives to the land. I enjoyed the experience from an 80-year-old man on a 100-year-old olive grove in Tuscany. These experiences furthered my desire and knowledge of what I would want to create for myself back in New Zealand.
Growing lavender has always been a dream of mine.
Years ago a Naturopath introduced me to the wonderful benefits of Lavender. When I was on a bike tour with my kids through France and we biked past large fields of lavender and feeling that one day I will grow some fields of Lavender.
At the present day and I’m a busy farmer maintaining a bustling garden between Wanaka and Cromwell filled with not only multiple varieties of lavender but also lush fields of fragrant peonies as well as festive Christmas trees. For me, Christmas is a time for tradition and gathering and no Christmas is complete without a real Christmas tree. I knew there was a need in the market for locally-grown, real Christmas trees so when I had the opportunity to start growing, I jumped on it.
At SuziQ’s garden, we now grow thousands of Christmas trees for sale which are pruned and shaped in time for the Christmas festivities. We have all kinds of people travel to our farm to have the classic Christmas tree experience. Some of my fondest memories on the farm are watching an entire family partake in the Christmas tree hunt with each family member having their own specific job. Children and parents and grandparents and aunties and uncles. Finding the perfect Christmas tree is a family tradition for so many and is the start of the Christmas festivities for many.
In the past few years, I have been combining our budding Christmas tree season with our popular peony blooms as well. A crimson peony bunch is a perfect accent to our Christmas trees and I love seeing the joy our creations bring to so many families in Central Otago.
At SuziQ’s we grow dozens of varieties of peonies from blush to white to crimson to red and everything in between. I started growing Peonies to supply the local florists and weddings. I also love selling my fragrant and spray-free Peony blooms to spontaneous visitors who have discovered the farm. I run my farm as sustainably as possible and am completely spray free for all of my products. Lavender works as a natural pest repellent for the peonies so my plants can grow without the need for pesticides, also providing a natural haven for Bee and insect life.
I love sharing my farm and our products with the people who visit. Seeing the big grins and hearing the giddy laughter as visitors explore nature’s bounty brings me endless joy. SuziQ’s Garden is a place to experience local Lavender, Peonies and Christmas trees but at the heart of it, it’s the people and their stories that make this place so special. I’m so thrilled to be apart of the Central Otago community and I welcome visitors from all over during my open season from Labour Weekend (late October) to December 24th.
