Spring is a time of growth and renewal and this is becoming very apparent in our vegetable gardens at Woodlands Village. The raised garden beds, with seating provided for perching while you're weeding comfort, are built using non toxic treated timber. The beds are also fully lined and have been pre primed with horse manure, generously applied by one of Woodlands residents Peter, and we are certainly all benefitting from this addition.

The communal vegetable garden shares its space with the Hobby Shed and this zone is currently half finished but already we have seen not only the residents enjoying the garden area but the workmen also found the deck outside the hobby shed a perfect place to enjoy their lunches.

The water fountain is nestled within a large square raised garden bed which is the communal herb garden from which we can all harvest. It will be a bonus, if as is hoped, the tuis deign to use the fountain as a drinking or bathing station as they have been known to do with other water features here.

This area, along with the Waterfall Serenity Garden areas, and our private gardens at Woodlands, will be open for public viewing during the Art & Garden Festival, from 15-18th November 2018, and you are warmly invited to come have a look for yourself then.

Woodlands is rapidly maturing into the Village we always wanted it to be. This year the building program continues unabated with the construction of the clubhouse, hobby shed and the building of the community garden. We are also underway with the construction of the Serenity Garden area which will consist of a waterfall, flowing stream and pond features which will meander through our mature native tree area. We are all very excited to see the progress over the upcoming months as the design concept translates into reality. The Village is moving into its final stages with the last homes of stage two underway. We are currently building the duplex villas, each of which will consist of:

-2 bedrooms, an en-suite, separate main bathroom and guest toilet;

-a study, with north facing kitchen/dining & living areas;

-an extra-large single garage.

-Solar panels, the rainwater collection tank for secondary water use, are standard as are the other environmentally friendly features such as;

-LED lighting, north facing living areas and fully insulated garages.

Our backdrop of a stand of native trees (some being over 100yrs old), its associated birdlife gives us an unique setting for Woodlands. The tranquillity offered in such a setting coupled with the close proximity to the centre of Tauranga being our location here in Bethlehem, makes us doubly unique. Our residents awaken to the songs of our birdlife and the buzz from our own beehive. Residents gardens are overflowing with blooms this Summer which have definitely been a contributing factor in our heavy honey harvest this year. And it must be very convenient for our bees not to have to travel too far to collect their delectable nectar.

The fruit trees, especially the avocado tree has also been bountiful this year, much to the delight of Woodlands residents. Residents are also looking forward to the completion of the vegetable garden plots and hope to get their seasonal vegetables in soon.

Our club house design has been finalised and it will be going into Council for building consent. We are very excited to be at this stage and now looking ahead to the interior design and decorating aspects for this building. Even though the design has had many iterations we believed it was very important to get it exactly right for it to be the perfect place in which to entertain, socialise, exercise or just while away a few hours reading on the spacious balcony with views to Mount Maunganui and surrounding areas.

Woodlands really is the place for the discerning retiree to enjoy their golden years to the maximum, for those who wish to 'Retire in Style'. Call us or come and visit us soon to see our dream and your future home.

Stage 3, our final stage, is selling now.

Well we're bounding into Spring even if the weather still appears to want to remain in Winter mode with rain, rain, a day of sunshine and then more rain. I think most of us would agree that we're over it.

At Woodlands we're busy completing two homes, ready for our newest residents to move into prior to Christmas. We are looking forward to also seeing the Serenity Garden and vegetable garden plots taking shape over the next few months. Great plans are afoot for the vegetable garden with the beds being raised and designed to be of a comfortable height for easy access for our residents. There will also be a bench seat type railing as an edging to these in order to enable weeding and planting to take place with the minimum of fuss. Each home will have access to a least one of the garden plots. The overall design will be of a potager layout utilising the spacious area for the garden to its maximum benefit. A grapevine, berry canes trellis, feijoa hedge and citrus trees will run around the outside boundary of the plots. Archways, seating, pathways and other decorative features will finish off what will be a delightful area to while away a glorious day gardening.

Our 'Serenity Garden' is also to undergo further landscaping incorporating a waterfall, pond and a walk bridge over a stream which will connect all the waterways together. Plantings will be sympathetic to the already established kauris and rimu trees that were planted over 20 years ago. Under plantings will lend a subtropical flavour to the overall ambience of this area and provide colour and fragrance. The visiting tui, kereru, and kaka should approve. And of course there will be comfortable benches situated strategically for viewing as much of the flora and fauna as possible. A great place for quiet contemplation, viewing wildlife or reading your latest novel.

The Serenity Garden will be adjacent to the Club House and will in fact envelop it to a certain extent. The landscaping will spill over into that surrounding the Club House and become a harmonious whole. Work is progressing well with the Club House design and plans should be sent to the Council for building consent before the end of the year.

As the weather warms and the village grows, there remains only 9 homes available at Woodlands Village, these comprise 2 bedroom duplex units and 3 bedroom stand alone homes. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any queries or would like to come and view Woodlands Village,

Contact Sarndra Newman on Ph. 07 576 8874 or Mobile 021 0265 3536 for an appointment.

...and we are quickly moving into the early stages of autumnal days. The leaves are beginning to change colour once again and quinces and feijoas are burgeoning on the branches. It wasn't a particularly hot summer with ample rain to keep the countryside looking lovely and green and the grass growing well, which is what NZ is known for after all.

At 'Woodlands' we have been kept busy with building over the Summer months and we have residents waiting to move into their brand new homes in April & May. We also have new orders to fill and these homes will be built over the Winter months with new residents moving into their brand new homes, weather permitting, before Santa comes a calling.

We are experiencing a very keen interest in the remaining homes in Stage 2 & Stage 3 currently, with prospective residents keen to look through one of our homes which is coming up for completion in mid April. Because our show home is now sold, this represents a perfect opportunity to have a browse through one of our beautiful and much sought after new homes prior to the residents moving in. This will be only a small window of opportunity as the residents are of course keen to get in and settled and appointments will be required. With the high standard of finishing and the quality of the fittings, new contracts for new homes in Woodlands will no doubt follow soon after.

With the unprecedented run on sales over the last 6 months or so we currently have a reduced number of homes left for sale. Most of these homes are 3 bedrooms and with double garages, ensuites, and north facing dining & living areas. There are also 2 lots of duplex units consisting of 2 bedrooms, an office, ensuite, guest bathroom facilities and all of the other desirable attributes of the other stand alone homes that we have on offer at Woodlands being; solar panels, a 2000ltr under eave rainwater collection tank (for secondary water use), 2.7m high stud throughout, double glazing and fully insulated & carpeted garages. The duplexes will be landscaped to maximise privacy between the two homes, and will benefit fully from the northerly aspect to their living and patio areas, as do all of our homes. Another set of duplex's is planned to be built in Stage 3 also as they really are the perfect solution for those wanting a' not-so-big home', although they are not pokey at 140m2 approx. Please email for design layouts for these duplex units or for any of the stand alone homes we have on offer.

At present our Club House is in the design phase which is very exciting, with our residents' eager to make use of what will be a well thought out space that will lend itself perfectly for multi-purpose use of our community of residents. The associated landscaping to this area will be complementary to the overall 'feel' of the Club House design and will lead harmoniously into the nearby native tree area. This area is also under design by our landscaper and will be known as the 'Serenity Garden'. It is envisaged that it will have seating areas interspersed amongst the established trees and small lawn areas, finished off with a water feature and/or stream, with mass planting of various shrubs and plants. The perfect place to spend an afternoon reading or just soaking up Nature and the birds that abound.

Our village residents are enjoying the warmth of Summer, but we are all over the windy days which seem to have been going on forever!

It has been a wonderful festive season with plenty of 'catching up with family & friends', occasions, New Year celebrations and general joie de vivre abounding.

Woodlands is expanding and we have new residents looking forward to moving in to occupy brand new homes within the next few months. We have also SOLD our Show Home, with the resident taking up occupancy in early February, this makes Stage 1 of the village now completely full.

Stage 2 is on its way to being 1/2 SOLD OUT with only 2 duplex units 'Rewarewa' & 'Kanuka', and one 3 bedroom/double garage home "Titoki' remaining for purchase in this stage. We are now in the preliminary stages of designing our Club House, which will incorporate a spacious open plan area with a kitchen/bar, a lounge with a fireplace and a large screen TV & comfortable sofas, library, a gym area, and the village office. Building will commence towards the end of this year.

Stage 3 will commence in early 2018 we expect, and interest in these homes is already apparent. Demand is certainly very hot at the moment and it is difficult to see it diminishing, so if you are in the market for this style of living and like the look of the great lifestyle we have on offer here at Woodlands, please don't be disappointed and leave it too late.

Happy days!

The blossoming of our large, ancient pohutukawa has signaled the arrival of warmer weather. Woodlands Boutique Village has been a hive of activity over the last few months with Stage One nearing completion and Stage Two commencing. We will be taking a much needed break with the show home reopening on the 14th January, Hope to see you then!

The Woodlands Team

Spring has certainly struck with a vengeance with warm weather, the sun shining and the birds chirping and the bees abuzzing...

At Woodlands we all have a definite spring in our steps as we ready our garden beds for the warmer months ahead. The tuis are once again going crazy in the Taiwanese Cherry Blossom trees and I don't have the heart to chop them out even though they throw seedlings all over the place and self seed into my gardens. It is worth it to see these birds feeding and squabbling and performing their aerial antics all day long for weeks on end.

Currently we are building a home for a lovely couple whose dream was always to settle back home in NZ after a lifetime of travel and work overseas in exotic places. They are to move into their brand new home prior to Christmas. They are also keen to get into their gardens incorporating within their landscaping design a desire for the beautiful flowering shrubs we have available to us here in the Bay of Plenty with our wonderful temperate climate. I am looking forward to working with them to help them achieve their dream gardens.

We are commencing two other new homes, one due for completion in February and the other in March next year. Stage 2 road way is commencing this week and will provide access into the next stage. This stage consists of five homes in total with one sold already. The Show Home is also now on the market with a new location for a new show home becoming available soon.

Woodlands is a boutique village and consists of 17 homes only so you do not want to miss out as we are rapidly approaching 50% sell down of the complete village and with Spring here people are stepping out with renewed vigour and a bounce in their step with interest heating up fast.

So please come and view our Show Home during the week by appointment or during the weekend when its open from 10.30am - 4.30pm both days.

Looking forward to seeing you then.

Late Autumn is definitely rustling at our doors & windows here at Woodlands Boutique Village with Winter fast approaching. March was a busy month for us and we have had a rush on our beautiful homes here leaving only one left for sale in Stage One, which is our beautiful Show Home. With the amount of interest being shown it won't be around for much longer.

We are now marketing homes for expressions of interest in Stage 2 of Woodlands Village. In this stage we have two different layout designs for 3 bedroom, double garage homes; one of the Type 1 design (at 167m2) & two of the Type 2 design (at 187m2). In this stage we also have a set of duplex units each of which are slightly smaller at 147m2 & 152m2 approximately and which share a common wall in the garage, one with a single garage and the other with a double garage.

Over the next few months we are looking forward to working on the design for the Club House, which we anticipate beginning the construction of next summer. It will be located in the slightly elevated position overlooking the village behind the pedestrian walkway and exit to the local shopping centre. The club house will be adjacent to the spa pool and tranquility garden area. It is ideally positioned to capture views to Mount Maunganui from its deck being perfect for the sundowner cocktails.

We welcome new residents to our village who share similar outlooks in regard to sustainability and eco friendly living. However the beauty of moving into Woodlands is it isn't a requirement that you have this point of view, and it isn't something you have to actively sign up for, it is all passive and done for you already. The solar panels are installed as part of the package, for which you will receive savings off your power bill. The 2000ltr rain water collection tank supplements your town water supply and makes use of a resource that generally is wasted to the storm water system. LED lighting is supplied throughout, as is double glazing and full insulation. So you can see we aim to help you help the planet.

So come and have a look at our Show Home and let us take you on a tour of the village and give you an insight into just what we are hoping to achieve here at Woodlands Boutique Village.

We are open 7 days a week, Mon-Fri by appointment and Sat & Sun 10.30am - 4.30pm.

We at Woodlands trust everyone had a lovely Christmas holiday and wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2016.

At the Woodlands Boutique Village it is mowing and gardening with a vengeance with the Summer growth having taken off. All of these matters of course are no cause for concern for our potential residents however as it is all on us to maintain your gardens and communal areas in perfect condition for you. Just one of the many perks of lifestyle villages such as Woodlands Boutique Village.

Bethlehem is definitely a great place to live. It's proximity to our burgeoning shopping centre, medical & dental centres, butcher, cafe's and the famous Somerset Cottage restaurant are only a few of its attributes. Being so close to the CBD and the Mount are also some of the others. We really do have the best of all world's here.

The reaction to our beautifully appointed show home is so satisfying to us. Absolutely everyone has been so impressed with the space, the layout, the quality of finish and the feel of the home.

Our next home 'Pohutukawa' is a three bedroom, double garage, quality home located beside the Village garden. It is at 'lock up' stage and now is the time to contract this one if you would like some personal input into the interior decorating and kitchen layout design. An opportunity to good to miss and it would be finished 6-8 weeks after signing off.

We are expecting to start Stage Two in April.

If you would like to have a look through our Show Home contact me on 07 5768874 or Mobile 021 02653536 for an appointment or visit anytime during the weekend between the hours of 10.30 - 4.30pm either day

Summer is just around the corner and here at Woodlands we have commenced our next brand spanking new home. It is going to be very similar to our beautiful 167 m2 Show Home with some slight layout changes just to make it more individual. We have had a lot of people visit our showhome and without exception the feedback has been glowing.

The new home build is named 'Pohutukawa', as a nod to the large 100 year old pohutukawa which is one of the many native trees which form the backdrop to our village. This particular pohutukawa is getting ready to bloom and lends its capacious arms to visiting heron, tui and kereru. All our homes will have a native tree named after them in keeping with our beautiful setting.

'Pohutukawa' is adjacent to the pedestrian walkway, which leads you past the recently planted rock garden on your way to the conveniently close Bethlehem Shopping Centre only walking distance away. You really can't get much closer to the shops than we are here at Woodlands, with its lovely cafe's, restaurants, specialty stores and supermarket.

The Bethlehem Shopping Centre is certainly growing with the construction of the new look K Mart store taking shape very quickly. Apparently there is to be an international food court included in this additional shopping area which will provide even more options for our residents as a destination to head for. There have also been some new clothing stores opening in this shopping zone making for a varied and interesting place for shoppers to go to, so much so we really are spoiled for choice.

Woodlands Boutique Village is now coming of age and as more and more people are hearing about us the interest is definitely increasing. Consequently we have a number of positions for homes in Stage 2 of the village being held for those who are thinking ahead.

Our show home is now open for public viewing Sat-Sun 10am-12pm, 2pm-4pm. For the many that have been visiting our village over the last few months waiting to see the finished product, the wait is now over. Over the last week of viewing, the feedback has been overwhelming and the first words are usually, “wow”.

The wide entry opening out in to the lounge and dining area, the sun nook and the light streaming in, isn’t the first thing you notice. The high ceilings, stone bench tops, kitchen built by craftsmen and the quality appliances might be missed. The master bedroom with walk-in robe and light and bright ensuite, could be overlooked. But what is unmistakable is that all these features come together as a place you could call home.

When we first considered this project we wanted to focus on a number of core values, a smaller community, quality, design, spaciousness, efficiency, practicality, and future proofing. Some are obvious to the eye, many are not. Many are hidden in the design and the thought that has gone into this project.

What is not hidden is the overwhelming effect of the show home on the visitors who come through.

We present to you our home for show of Woodlands Boutique Retirement Village.

The show home with be open every weekend though do not hesitate in calling for a viewing any other time of the week. Contact us here

A favourite walking route and a lifetime of planting and gardening led Robin Ayres to her new home.

Robin spotted Woodlands Boutique Village, on Bethlehem’s Carmichael Road, while strolling with a friend. The pair had stopped to admire the century-old trees and grazing sheep when she noticed a sign advertising the retirement village under development.

Within a year she was happily installed in her sunny, new, architecturally-designed 185sqm home. She and Woodlands owner Sarndra Newman had selected light fittings, garden plants and paint colours together. Robin customised the shower and had the wardrobe enlarged to accommodate her shoe collection.

“I was given so many choices,” she says. “And I just love this house; it’s so spacious, it’s finished beautifully and I’m thrilled with all the eco-friendly options like the rainwater tank and solar panels. I love living here.”

She is enjoying watching the village take shape around her, with plans that include community vegetable gardens, a clubhouse and spa. She also relishes walking to nearby Bethlehem shops, being part of a larger community and watching schoolchildren pass the gate.

The former orchardist – Robin and husband Don grew tomatoes commercially and created New Zealand’s first biodynamic avocado orchard – adores trees and her previous homes have featured in several Tauranga Garden and Art Festivals. Inside Woodlands, she is thrilled to note a tract of native bush has been retained and nurtured, while several large specimen trees have been relocated on the Woodlands site.

“So they care about trees, too,” she says of Sarndra and her husband Maurice, who live next to the village. When her previous house sold earlier than expected, Robin spent more than three months in the Woodlands guest cottage till her new place was ready. She still pops over to their house for a cup of tea.

“I have plenty of friends happily living in large retirement villages but that’s not for me,” she says. “So many people, so many neighbours. This is intimate and boutique.

I couldn’t live in an apartment. I need to get my hands in the soil and I’ve been able to plant all my favourite things here.

“When I met Sarndra and Maurice, we just seemed to click. I really feel I’ve made two new friends.” Their son Nick helped install her paving and develop the garden.

“It just feels comfortable, like a family.

I haven’t got any family in Tauranga now so it’s just lovely.”

A home at Woodlands includes:

· Cost saving solar energy

· Northerly aspect

· Energy efficient LED lighting

· Rainwater collection tanks

· Full insulation

· 2.7m high ceilings

· Close to Bethlehem Town Centre, Medical centres & public transport.

For a retirement rich in goodness, Woodlands may be just the place you’ve been looking for. If you are interested in learning more, Village owner Sarndra would love to talk to you.

Mobile: 021 0265 3536

Phone: 07 576 8874

Email: info@woodlandsboutiquevillage.co.nz

It was the promise of an idyllic rural lifestyle on the city’s edge that lured Sarndra Newman onto the historic Woodlands property in Bethlehem.

Ten years later, she and husband Maurice are sharing that same dream with a small group of retirees.

The former Gisborne farm girl remembers the first time she encountered Woodlands’ glorious, tree-lined driveway and generous tract of green space.

“I was instantly smitten,” she says of the paddocks for ponies and sheep, with an ancient, gnarled pohutukawa for the three children to climb. Even then, she envisaged a time when the children were grown, the surrounding land could evolve into something broader and more special.

Now, Woodlands Boutique Village is a unique haven of just seventeen architecturally designed, environmentally-friendly homes nestled among established trees that attract wood pigeons and tui.

“It has to be the kind of place we’d love to live, a place our own parents could happily move into,” she says.

That means a no-compromises approach to build quality but it also means access to a communal vegetable garden, hive honey and fresh eggs from the resident chooks. It certainly means security, independence and privacy with the kind of care that only family owners can offer.

With stage one of the village underway, Sarndra and Maurice are on site every day and will remain ‘just through the hedge’, in the family home that doubles as the village’s administrative heart. Son Nick is currently designing the clubhouse and spa that will nestle into an existing stand of native bush, and plans are afoot to create a blokes’ shed, complete with workbench and tool-lined walls.

Sarndra has turned her artist’s eye – she is a potter and a painter – to the interiors and insisted on solar panels, double glazing and efficient heating.

“We keep going back to that ‘what would we appreciate’ test, like stone bench tops in the kitchen and raised garden beds for residents who want to grow their own vegetables. A convivial clubhouse, with glorious Mount views, where people can borrow a book or meet friends for a drink.

“Most of all though, we want to create a place with real heart, a place that feels like home.”

A home at Woodlands includes:

· Cost saving solar energy

· Northerly aspect

· Energy efficient LED lighting

· Rainwater collection tanks

· Full insulation

· 2.7m high ceilings

· Close to Bethlehem Town Centre, Medical centres & public transport.

For a retirement rich in goodness, Woodlands may be just the place you’ve been looking for. If you are interested in learning more, Village owner Sarndra would love to talk to you.

Mobile: 021 0265 3536

Phone: 07 576 8874

Email: info@woodlandsboutiquevillage.co.nz