Former sheep and beef farmer. Passionate gardener. Camellia enthusiast. Creative Fibre member. And one of Wool.Life's very first customers.
Since discovering Wool.Life at the Hawke's Bay A&P Show in 2023, Rita has become one of our most loyal customers. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting her Hawke's Bay garden to learn more about her lifelong connection with wool, farming and gardening and why she continues to choose wool products today.
A Lifetime in the Garden
For Rita, gardening isn't just a hobby it's been part of her life for as long as she can remember.
Growing up in Piopio, she recalls when in trouble as a child running into the bush, picking watsonias and taking them to her grandfather to plant.
"Gardening is my happy place. I love to see things grow."
Later, she and her husband farmed sheep and beef in the King Country, where wool wasn't simply another product it played an important role in the success of the farm.
"Back when we farmed, the wool cheque paid for the fertiliser."
Today, Rita still surrounds herself with wool. She knits, spins, weaves, is active in Creative Fibre and the New Zealand Camellia Society... and now she uses wool throughout her garden.
Discovering Wool.Life
Rita first came across Wool.Life at the Hawke's Bay A&P Show in 2023.
Although she'd occasionally used sheep dags around the garden, she'd never seen wool transformed into products designed specifically for gardeners.
"Being from a farming background, I love innovative ideas using wool. When I saw Wool.Life, I thought, 'How good is this?' It keeps weeds down, helps retain moisture and slowly releases nutrients back into the soil."
Wool Throughout the Garden
Over the past three years, Rita has incorporated wool into many areas of her garden.
She uses wool mulch around pots, between camellias and around young plants while feeding her garden naturally with Wool.Life Sheep Dag Pellets.
One of her favourite uses?
Her camellias.
"I specifically fertilise my camellias with the sheep dag pellets and I'd rather use this than any other product."
She has also discovered an unexpected benefit.
"The mulch between my camellias creates a defined area to mow, so we don't accidentally drive into them with the ride-on mower."
Sometimes the best solutions are also the simplest.
Why She Keeps Coming Back
When asked why she's remained a Wool.Life customer since 2023, Rita's answer couldn't have been more straightforward.
"I wouldn't keep coming back if I didn't like the products and they didn't work."
As the wool naturally breaks down, she simply replaces it, allowing the old wool to continue feeding the soil as it decomposes.
It's a cycle she's happy to repeat.
Looking Beyond the Garden
Rita's passion for wool doesn't stop at the garden gate.
Having spent a lifetime around sheep and wool, she's excited to see New Zealand wool finding new uses beyond clothing and farming.
One development she's particularly excited about is Wool.Life's recently launched wool blend insulation.
"I would put it in my house over anything else."
For Rita, it's another example of giving one of New Zealand's greatest natural fibres the value it deserves.
Why Wool Matters
Beyond gardening, Rita believes New Zealand should make far better use of one of its most remarkable natural resources.
"I've never understood why a fibre that's natural and renewable isn't used more often in everyday life."
She sums wool up beautifully.
"Wool is amazing because it keeps you warm, grows again and you don't have to kill the animal to get it."
It's hard to argue with that.
More Than Just Plants
Perhaps my favourite moment during our conversation came when I asked Rita what she'd learned after a lifetime of farming and gardening.
She smiled and looked around her garden.
"My garden is full of people. I have cuttings and plants from friends everywhere. There's Jill here, Heather there... you can walk around talking to yourself and not be crazy."
What a wonderful way to describe a garden.
Over time it becomes much more than plants it becomes a collection of friendships, memories and stories.
Thank You, Rita
Customers like Rita remind us why Wool.Life exists.
Whether it's mulch, natural fertiliser, dog beds, pillows or now wool blend insulation, our mission has always been the same to find practical, innovative ways to add value to New Zealand wool while creating products that genuinely make life better.
Thank you, Rita, for your continued support, your passion for gardening, and for sharing your story with us. Customers like you are the heart of Wool.Life.
Thinking about trying wool in your own garden?
Whether you're planting a new tree, caring for treasured camellias, looking for a natural fertiliser, or exploring the benefits of wool insulation for your home, we'd love to help.
Explore the Wool.Life range today and discover how New Zealand wool can make life better.