Jill Sexton from Featherston

It has been more than three decades since Jill and husband - seasoned South Wairarapa District Councillor Keith (Porky) Sexton - moved into their Featherston retreat. Tucked away behind a shed but adding vibrancy to their established gardens was a Meyer lemon tree which, from the outset, was heaving with plump yellow citrus fruit.

Enter Lavender’s Green, and the luscious fruit not only adds to the company’s produce bounty but brings added special extras to the Sexton household.

“The lovely people from Lavender’s Green come out and pick the lemons once or twice a year and every time they come, they leave us a wonderful array of goodies from Lemon and Lime Cordials to their delicious Roast Lemon Chutney,” says Jill. “It is really satisfying to us to supply a fresh naturally grown product to a local business.”

Ian Dymock from Featherston

The first thing Ian Dymock has done throughout his long and eventful life when he’s bought a new home is to plant a lone lemon tree. “Lemon trees are just perfect for landscaping and they always provide such wonderful fruit almost all year round,” he explains.

Nowadays, the tree he planted in 1987, which towers above his conservatory in its shaded spot behind his home, provides so much fruit that he happily welcomes Lavender’s Green to turn his tree’s annual production into gourmet goods. The tasty products which Lavender’s Green always leave on his doorstep in return for the lemons go down a treat with his mates at the RSA, he says.