The enchanting suburban pocket farm created by Jenny Marshall and her husband at their compact 375sqm Onehunga section, has made Jenny somewhat of a star on YouTube, where she chronicled the ups and downs of putting together the most sustainable home and garden possible – in the midst of the madness of modern life.
She says they weren’t keen on traditional cold, damp Kiwi dwellings and wanted something that was facing north on a level site, easy and economical to run, and comfortable in all seasons as well as being close to public transport.
What they found was a 1950s-built home on part of what had once been a much larger estate, and Jenny – who had previously worked for the New Zealand Green Building Council – immediately saw huge potential.
“We got busy and rebuilt the house almost completely – just keeping the foundations and the concrete walls,” Jenny explains. “And we moved in just in time for the pandemic lockdowns.”
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The construction process included double-glazing and extensive insulation as well as a state-of-the-art ventilation system to keep the home healthy, warm and dry.
Passive solar design elements harness the sun, while a 4000-litre rainwater tank provides water for the garden and also for flushing the toilets. Modern energy and water-efficient fittings were used throughout and wherever possible, materials such as timber were reused in the garden or recycled.
The interior features two private, light-filled bedrooms – each with a bathroom and an additional project room where Jenny currently has her sewing station. It could be used alternatively as a nursery, home office or anything life requires.
A rustic country-cottage style kitchen, with its adjacent pantry is undisputedly the heart of this home, offering plenty of space for bread-making, bottling, preserving and storing the seemingly endless bounty from the garden, where dozens of fruit and vegetable varieties jostle for space.
The rustic country-cottage style kitchen is undisputedly the heart of the home. Photo / Supplied
The home has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room and kitchen/dining area, an office, pantry and conservatory, as well as a thriving garden on a compact 375sqm section. Photo / Supplied
The pantry, adjacent to the kitchen, is a well-organised space. Photo / Supplied
Jenny says that cables for solar panels and charging electric cars are in place and that the existing combination of green features already means that monthly bills are low. “It’s genuinely cheap to run.”
Garden clubs and council groups have visited for Jenny’s popular workshops about the house and garden design – and the property has been featured in a range of publications.
The couple are now returning to the United Kingdom, after 35 years in New Zealand to be closer to family.
Naturally they hope that whoever buys this much-loved “good life” property, just five minutes from Cornwall Park, appreciates its green credentials and is super-keen on gardening.
“But if they’re not, it would be very easy to turn the kitchen garden back to lawn,” Jenny says.
Summing up their labour of love, she explains simply: “It’s a sustainable ‘lifestyle block’ on a micro-scale, but five minutes’ walk from a flat white and no tractors required.”
“It’s a sustainable ‘lifestyle block’ on a micro-scale, but five minutes’ walk from a flat white and no tractors required,” says owner Jenny Marshall. Photo / Supplied
Garden clubs and council groups have visited for Jenny’s popular workshops about the house and garden design – and the property has been featured in a range of publications as well as on YouTube. Photo / Supplied
Brittany Broadbent from the marketing team for 27 Tawa Road, agrees with Jenny’s description.
“You get this sense of space yet you’re right in the middle of the inner city and only around 550m from Cornwall Park.
“There’s definitely a bit of a European feel to it, the established garden, the outdoor living and the way the current owners have really made use of the land.
“It is a particularly easy home for someone to move into and enjoy.”
27 Tawa Road in Onehunga, Auckland, is for sale and heading to auction on October 7.
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