The Abbey

05/07/2024

Welcome to the newest member of the family!

14/03/2024

Beautiful day to host a local walking group. A bus bought them out of town and dropped them off at different locations depending on their ability. It was lovely to see them all arrive in. A great way to get out and about whilst connecting with each other. They all had more than enough energy to still wander around the garden exploring its nooks and cranny’s.

Thanks for a lovely day. It was great to see you all.

27/02/2024

This section of the garden was where I set up our very first village. Loved seeing this wee church nestled amongst the trees.

24/02/2024

Fresh planting for this beauty!

22/02/2024

Just love getting ready for a wedding :)

12/12/2023

Very special event here last week hosting CWCI for their Christmas event. How beautiful is this singing? Turn up the sound and enjoy this carol.

10/12/2023

Here are some close up shots of the beautiful China donated to us. It’s all here on display so make sure you pop into see it when you are visiting. ❤️Annie

01/12/2023

My new solar lamp installed! Looks so lovely at night lighting up the bridge as people drive in.

29/11/2023

And another… This is referred to as our “China” House.

A few years ago I was quoted in a magazine talking about my dream of hosting high tea’s in the garden. A lovely man called Ron got in touch and asked if he could donate his late wife’s China collection to us. He said she would love the thought of it being used. So here it is, we built this wee house to display it.

Come check it out next time you are out here

24/11/2023

Some more photos from Harris :)

22/11/2023

Thanks to for this great photo.

18/10/2023

Lovely photos!

10/10/2023

Miss Molly doing her morning patrols

06/10/2023

Sometimes I see something in a shop and think I love that and buy it and then we come up with an idea of how to use it!

I saw these panels on a road trip and managed to fit them in the back of the truck… Lincoln has built this little entrance way to showcase them!

Still some work to do to finish it. We will stain the poles and put little tops on each of them and maybe some large paving stones around it. I am loving how it’s coming together.

Of course the brilliant blue sky helps lift the spirits too doesn’t it?

01/10/2023

This Monkey Puzzle tree was tiny when we bought the house. The space in and around the house was a paddock and we found this gem in there. It’s just enormous now!

28/09/2023

Spring blossom! Such a lovely sight. The bees are loving them too and today as I walked there it there was just a constant buzzing sound coming from the trees as the bees did their thing. 🐝

25/09/2023

Little tip- if you ever receive a package wrapped in the wood shavings - hang them outside and the birds will collect for their nest building 🙂 Can be nice to put somewhere you can watch them come to collect them.

22/08/2023

Some lovely ideas here

23/07/2023

Throwback to a hot summers day and party set up.

15/03/2023

These cars were amazing for wedding we had last weekend, all polished and shining in the sun!

05/02/2023

This photo came up as a memory on my phone recently and I thought I’d share.

We purchased The Abbey after seeing it sitting in a field in Cromwell, shifted there from Canterbury by someone hoping to restore it.

As soon as we discussed bringing it down south my mind straight away went to the challenge of bringing it over this one lane bridge at Frankston (now the pedestrian bridge). We drove up to watch it come over snapping this shot. We all held our breath and watched it come through!

13/11/2022

I thought the Chateau looked good today and it sounds like all the birds agreed with me!

09/11/2022

Here is the inspiration and progress photos of our “folly”.

It’s a spot for quiet contemplation set amongst a beautiful avenue of trees and (of course) another photo spot for a wedding party.

07/11/2022

Loving the new decorations in the church.

06/11/2022

Lovely day today!

05/11/2022

Set up is still so much fun…. Looking forward to being the final stop on the Myross Bush School fundraiser today.

Bush School

30/10/2022

20/10/2022

Something new is coming to The Abbey!

16/07/2022

Gorgeous start to the day

27/03/2022

I love the reminders that arrive on my phone photo app and this popped up today. It’s good to sit and reflect tonight on how far we’ve come!

As I look over at the church tonight, it’s good to remember it was once was just part of the farm and the Abbey itself was once a derelict church sitting in a paddock in Central Otago and now? Well it’s my dream come true!

When we bought this house- many years ago, it was a house surrounded by paddocks and over the years the fence lines have been slowly extended to what you see now. If I had a dollar for every time Linc said “I am not moving the fence again Annie …” 🤣

I might hunt out some photos from the early days to show you how it all started if anyone is keen to see?