The greenhouse effect
“I was nervous about taking it on, but my friends and family said, ‘You’ll love it,’ and now I feel so grateful we’ve got it.”
MICHAEL MANSVELT
If you’re looking for Michael Mansvelt, you might find him under a palm tree surrounded by tropical and sub-tropical foliage and vibrant-coloured blooms. And no, he won’t be in some Far North hotspot or island idyll. His “happy place” is on the outskirts of New Plymouth. It’s here in one of his hothouses that he relaxes with a morning coffee, holds staff meetings and hosts mammoth dinner parties.
“Sometimes I work there, especially in the winter months,” says the owner of Michael Mansvelt Design, an award-winning landscape, interior and architectural design practice specialising in top-end projects. “The moment the sun comes up, it starts to warm up. Taranaki isn’t the warmest
