Across New Zealand, families are rethinking how and with whom they live. Rising housing costs, an ageing population, and an appreciation for family support networks have all contributed to a rise in multi-generational living. And increasingly, one of the housing solutions families are turning to is transportable homes.

A Shift in How Kiwi Families Are Living

Many adult children are building a second, smaller home on the family property for ageing parents who want to stay close without moving into aged care. Grandparents are relocating nearer to their grandchildren while holding on to their independence. Young families are setting up a granny flat as a stepping stone toward their own property, all while staying close to family support.

This isn't a niche trend and reflects some very real pressures. With house prices and construction costs remaining a challenge for many New Zealanders, extending an existing property to house a family member can often be more achievable than buying separately. It also means practical, everyday support, be it with childcare, an extra pair of hands during tough times or simply enjoying each other’s company. 

Why Transportable Homes Work Well

Transportable homes are particularly well suited to this shift in New Zealand. Because they're built off-site in a factory setting and delivered largely complete, transportable homes offer a faster, less disruptive way to add a second dwelling to an existing property than a full on-site build allows. There's no lengthy construction process playing out in the middle of a family's backyard, and timelines are far more predictable, an important factor for families coordinating a parent's move or supporting adult children through a life transition.

For many, that combination of speed, cost-effectiveness and minimal disruption is what makes a transportable home the practical choice over a standard build or a move into a retirement village.

A Housing Solution Built Around Family

Several New Zealand building companies now offer turnkey services covering design, construction and delivery of transportable homes, with experienced teams managing the entire process from start to finish. That level of support allows families to focus on what matters most - settling a loved one into a comfortable, well-built home close to the people who matter.

As more New Zealand families look for practical ways to stay connected across generations, transportable homes are proving to be one of the more flexible answers to a very modern housing question.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkCSi9Vp_90&list=RDEMnuXyNgBwHeW4gSIaDHU13Q&index=6

14,640 views 1 Jun 2011
Artist: Korai Öröm Album: 1996

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Korai Orom from Hungary has been active since 1990, building a steady name at home and abroad. Their music blends rock, trance, metal and tribal sounds with Eastern and Western European touches. Long festival sets, live visuals, and slow building rhythms create a deep and steady flow on stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G_OQYvuXzs

If you're a fan of =1 (2024), there's a good chance you'll enjoy SPLAT!. Many critics feel Simon McBride has settled into the band well, and the album has a heavier, classic Deep Purple feel while still sounding fresh.

Louder called it "the very best Deep Purple one could possibly expect to hear in 2026" and praised the songwriting, Simon McBride's guitar work, and Bob Ezrin's production.
Ultimate Classic Rock described it as another strong album with concise, energetic songs and highlighted tracks such as "Arrogant Boy," "The Only Horse in Town," and "Guilt Trippin'".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoSr0sStFaE

Splat! (stylised in all caps) is the twenty-fourth studio album by English rock band Deep Purple, released on 3 July 2026.[1] It is the band's sixth collaboration with producer Bob Ezrin, who has produced every Deep Purple album since 2013's Now What?!.[2] It is their second album with guitarist Simon McBride, following 2024's =1.[3] It was described as "the heaviest Deep Purple album in many years" by the band.[
1,892,743 views Premiered on 13 May 2026 #SPLAT #DeepPurple #ArrogantBoy
Access the 2026 Deep Purple studio album SPLAT!: https://deeppurple.lnk.to/SPLATID Stream & download the new single Arrogant Boy: https://deeppurple.lnk.to/arrogantboyID #DeepPurple #SPLAT #ArrogantBoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo4Khr3ByG8&list=RDEMnuXyNgBwHeW4gSIaDHU13Q&index=11

The phrase you searched likely refers to "Deltoid" by the Hungarian psychedelic-trance band Korai Öröm. This hypnotic, tribal-trance track is a fan-favorite, most notably featured on their 1997 album and the 2013 compilation. 

The very first published songs of Korai Öröm originally issued on music casette in 1993 are now available again on a double vinyl published by Trottel Records. They published the original casette in only 500 copies. Nowadays almost impossible to find it. The original setlist has been completed with some later recordings.

https://www.vanbommelvandam.nl/collectie/zoeken/kunstenaar-nardus-van-de-ven-2

Discover Nardus van de Ven

Our museum was founded in 1969 thanks to the donation of the private collection of Maarten and Reina van Bommel - van Dam. This was an art collection of over 1,100 works. Since then, our collection has grown, deepened, and been enriched with many more exceptional artworks. Dive into our digital depot and discover the collection via your screen.

Questions about the collection? Please contact collection manager Hilde Janssen at:

On June 16, HBO Max launched in New Zealand. The service offers a huge catalogue of its prestige TV shows, as well as blockbuster films, new series, and unscripted shows. Kiwi viewers may have already become familiar with HBO through Sky and Neon, but now HBO Max has moved to its own platform. It is also available through Prime Video.

HBO’s own series

HBO is largely known for its own series, many of which have dedicated, sometimes-rabid fan followings: The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, and in more recent years The Last of Us, The White Lotus, and Euphoria have been almost universally adored by viewers and critics. The Sopranos is widely credited with elevating television to a realm similar to film; previously the top tier of actors, writers, directors and behind the scenes staff largely reserved their talents for cinema. 

James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli and the rest of the cast – along with writing talent like David Chase, Robin Green, Mitchel Burgess, and Terence Winter – were praised for changing the perception of what TV could do. The Sopranos’ influence was seen in later HBO shows like Succession, which won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.

The Wire received similar acclaim; it is ranked as the sixth best TV show of all time by IMDb users. David Simon and his staff initially struggled to find an audience for the “anti-cop show” (as it was called by The Guardian), but by the time of The Wire’s final episode in 2008, it was adored. Both The Sopranos and The Wire are available on HBO Max in their entirety.

How might HBO Max change TV in New Zealand?

The entertainment industry has drastically changed this century, and even in the 2020s, not least due to the advent of streaming. Industry reports estimate that Netflix has around 1.3 million subscribers in New Zealand; it’s the top streaming service in the country, ahead of Amazon Prime and Disney.

HBO Max hopes its New Zealand launch will be boosted by the release of a new House of the Dragon season and the Big Bang Theory spinoff Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. Lanterns, a new superhero series, will arrive later in August.

Head of Content at Prime Video Australia and New Zealand, Alexandra Gilbert, said the company was thrilled to welcome Max to Prime Video. It becomes their 26th subscription offering in New Zealand, joining Amazon MGM Originals like The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power.

By putting major series like House of the Dragon on its own dedicated platform – while still offering The White Lotus, Euphoria, and the rest – HBO Max gives Kiwi viewers more of a reason to subscribe around specific shows, rather than staying loyal to one all-purpose service. The test will be whether it changes viewing habits in a significant way. If HBO Max keeps launching headline titles in line with the US, and if its Prime Video distribution makes sign-ups more common, it could encourage more people toward stacking subscriptions.

In that sense, HBO Max is unlikely to replace Netflix overnight, but it could become a challenger. The service topped 1.5 million subscribers in its first 5 days in the UK. Ampere Analysis found that HBO Max had the fastest start of any streaming platform to pass a million subscribers. The research company attributed much of that success to Sky, with 77% of Max activations coming from Sky or Now TV households.

Just 12% of HBO Max newcomers cancelled another service in March before signing up. That suggests the subscriptions will keep adding up.

Many New Zealand gardens are planned around appearance first. A plant looks good in a nursery, fills a gap nicely, or adds colour at the right time of year. That can work in the short term, but it does not always create a garden that grows well over time.

Native plants encourage a different way of thinking. Instead of treating planting as decoration, they make the garden part of the wider property. They can improve the way a space feels, support local wildlife, and create structure that becomes stronger as the garden matures.

For homeowners, landscapers, and property owners, this makes native planting a practical option rather than just a visual preference.

The Garden Has to Grow Into Its Setting

A garden should feel like it belongs where it is. This is especially important in New Zealand, where weather, soil, and exposure can change significantly between properties.

Native plants often work well because they suit the character of local landscapes. They do not have to make a garden look wild or informal. Used carefully, they can create a clean, settled result that still feels natural.

This is one reason they are often chosen for new homes and larger planting projects. New sections can feel exposed at first, especially when fences, driveways, and outdoor areas are still visually dominant. Planting helps soften that newness and gives the property a stronger sense of place.

For people planning a new garden or larger planting project, Growing Plants is a useful place to source plants suited to New Zealand conditions.

Good Planting Starts Before the Plants Are Chosen

The best time to think about planting is before anything is bought. A garden plan does not need to be complicated, but it does need to be honest about the site.

Some areas need privacy. Others need planting that can handle wind, shade, wet soil, or limited space. A plant chosen only for its appearance can become a problem later if it grows too large or needs conditions the site cannot provide.

A few practical questions can help guide better choices:

What does this part of the property need to achieve?

How exposed is the area through the year?

Will the plant still suit the space once mature?

How much maintenance will be realistic?

Does the planting need to screen, soften, shelter, or simply add structure?

These questions help shift the focus from what looks good today to what will keep working in five or ten years.

Native Does Not Mean Untidy

There is still a common assumption that native gardens have to look loose or overgrown. They can be natural and relaxed, but they can also be controlled, simple, and architectural.

The difference comes down to planning. A clear planting rhythm, enough spacing, and the right plant sizes can make native gardens feel deliberate. A smaller number of well-chosen varieties often creates a stronger result than filling the space with too many different plants.

This matters for modern homes, commercial sites, and properties where the garden needs to look tidy without feeling overly formal. Native plants can bring softness and movement while still keeping the overall design clean.

Privacy Can Feel Natural

Many people use planting to create privacy, but the result can feel very different from a hard boundary. A fence blocks a view. Planting changes the atmosphere of the space.

Native hedging and screening plants can create separation while making the garden feel calmer and more connected to its surroundings. Over time, good screening becomes part of the property rather than something that looks added on.

The most effective privacy planting is not always the quickest option. Fast growth can be useful, but mature size, density, and long-term manageability matter more. A plant that becomes too large for its position can create more work than it solves.

More Than a Decorative Choice

Native planting can add life to a garden in ways that are easy to overlook. Birds, insects, seasonal flowers, foliage changes, and movement in the wind all help make an outdoor area feel active.

This is one of the reasons native plants are used across both residential and larger landscape projects. They can make a site feel less artificial while still serving a clear practical purpose.

Homeowners and landscapers can explore native plants when they need planting that suits local conditions and supports the long-term structure of a garden.

Establishment Matters

Native plants are often described as easy care, but they still need a good start. The first stage after planting is important because roots need time to settle and compete with weeds, dry periods, and changing weather.

Watering, mulch, and early weed control can make a significant difference. Once plants are established, maintenance usually becomes more manageable, especially when the original plant choices were suited to the site.

A well-planned native garden should not need constant correction. It should become stronger and more settled as the plants mature.

A Better Long-Term Garden

Native plants are a strong option for gardens that need to last. They can create privacy, shelter, structure, and a stronger connection to the surrounding landscape without relying on short-term impact.

The best results come from choosing plants for the role they need to play. When the planting suits the site and has room to mature properly, native plants can help create a garden that feels natural, useful, and built for New Zealand conditions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15UWm0okgvA&list=RD15UWm0okgvA&start_radio=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20YXhsBXM6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL0NXKprKnQ&list=RDcL0NXKprKnQ&start_radio=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aN3_24cuIc&list=RDEMnuXyNgBwHeW4gSIaDHU13Q&index=2