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Chef, nutritionist and Homegrown Kitchen author Nicola Galloway has an urban garden that’s chocka with fruiting trees and plants.

I travelled for years before settling in my hometown of Nelson. I loved exploring, but it was when I put my roots down in my own house that I felt complete. There’s so much contentment to be found in creating a home.

I make a fresh loaf of sourdough bread almost every day. I’ve been doing it for years and it’s become part of my daily life. The change flour, water and salt go through to produce bread continues to amaze me. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of this ritual.

We have a large garden with loads of fruit trees, so during the preserving season there’s an almost constant smell of fruit cooking in the house. It reminds me of my childhood, spending time in my nana’s kitchen.

Our north-facing sunroom was built by a previous owner as a passive solar space. There’s a grapevine growing along the rafters that provides shade, which is perfect in summer because it can get very hot in there. homegrown-kitchen.co.nz; @homegrownkitchen

“We spend a lot of time in the sunroom all year round; it connects to the kitchen and doubles as a dining room.”