So young at heart it’s hard to believe Lei is 76, and she is counting on fulfilling her grandma’s dream of living to 100.
Lei moved to Aotearoa from Western Samoa when she was 18years old. Not long after she met Tom at a car factory, where they both worked.
“He was painting a car and I was inspecting it when it came from the oven to dry up the paint. I had to tell him to fix up the run.”
When the couple bought their large section, Tom asked Lei what she wanted all the land for.
The garden already had some flowers, and Lei has been expanding it ever since.
Lemons, limes, grapefruit, pomelo, oranges, feijoas, damsel plums, and cherries are just a few of the fruits the couple grow. They also grow a variety of nuts, including walnuts and hazelnuts.
When it comes to flowers, Lei has a rose garden, lilies, orchards, daffodils and early cheer, as well as native flax and other attractive foliage.