You've found your place.

Margaret Cocker moved to Remuera Gardens almost five years ago because her brother was one of the team that designed the retirement village, back in the eighties. One day during a shopping trip she discovered that she could join the “Wednesday Wanderers”, a group of residents who go on trips outside of Auckland every Wednesday.

“I worked all my life, so I haven’t been outside Auckland for about 50 years. I forgot where we went first but it was a long way away and I was totally amazed by how much it has changed.”

Margaret’s favourite outings are the ones where she can take her camera out to photograph nature, specially the gorgeous beaches around Auckland. Omaha beach, the gannet colony at Muriwai, the waterfall at Hunua Ranges… are some of her favourite trips. Margaret has taught herself the essentials of photography, including how to use a telephoto and a micro lens. Her pictures have impressed fellow residents and the Village activities coordinator, Louise Smith, who is keeping albums with Margaret’s best pictures.

Remuera village is a paradise for birds, with its spacious landscaped gardens and the tranquillity of being at the end of a cul-de-sac. Margaret enjoys taking pictures of the gorgeous friends that come to feed at her garden: blackbirds, song thrushes, tuis, fantails, sparrows, and homing pigeons.

I have been in Remuera Gardens now for 8 months. How lucky am I to find myself in this lovely peaceful, tranquil place?

The gardens are such a delight, some new plant appearing, it seems every day. The gardeners are so dedicated to keeping it beautiful for our enjoyment.

This is a small village and feels like an extended family. I didn’t know anyone here when I arrived but was made to feel very welcome straight away. The staff are part of the family as well, so charming and helpful. Nothing is too much trouble.

I love my garden apartment with all my treasures around me and feel so completely at home and happy. One of my favorite places is the pool, but I’m not going to tell you too much about it because I love having it all to myself.

Remuera Gardens Clinical Manager, Megan Batra, is one of Real Living's most valued employees. She oversees the running of the rest home with health and safety protocols at the top of her priorities.

When Megan moved from India to New Zealand in 2009 she discovered a new calling: the aged care industry. After 13 years of experience, she started working as Remuera Gardens’ Clinical Manager in 2021. She loves the friendliness and ease of communication she finds here: “In a small retirement village you’re able to make more connections. You can spend more quality time with the residents and the staff.”

Megan is in charge of 16 staff members. Glaiza Tamiao is the clinical nurse coordinator of her close-knit team. Both they work together to ensure the wellbeing of the residents.

I have been in Remuera Gardens now for three years. As a widower I am comfortable here at Remuera Gardens and enjoy the many services available. The staff are very friendly and efficient.

I have made good friends, mainly with the male residents. The special functions are brilliant with excellent food and entertainment. Dancing is still a priority even if I am not so young.

People I know in the Remuera community speak highly of Remuera Gardens.

We have been in the village two years. We chose to move to Remuera gardens because of its uniqueness, location, the gardens and the appealing design of the villas.

We were thrilled with the assistance provided with our move as we navigated the sale of our home. We were delighted to be able to have input into the villa décor and garden make-over.

Since moving in we have participated in the many activities and particularly enjoyed the companionship of other residents. There have been new friendships established and old connections renewed, while maintaining our friends and activities in the local community.

The support of staff, without question has been personal, appropriate, and professional when needed.

Aaron Sweden started working for Real Living more than seven years ago. He’s so passionate about his job as a gardener that he’s been photographing and cataloguing the plants since he arrived. “Sometimes it’s like detective work”, he says, because he spends lots of hours on the internet finding the scientific name of each plant. Then he creates a badge for every shrub so the residents can have a more complete experience of the garden. “The village is full of beautiful flowers and beautiful people; I love working here”.

Remuera Gardens has more than 130 different kinds of roses and camellias, with the collection growing every year. Aaron thinks he has labelled 80% of the garden but he’s not stopping yet: “My plant knowledge has increased ten-fold since I started working at Remuera Gardens. Unfortunately, there are some plants that I still cannot identify, including a magnolia, a camellia and a few varieties of roses. I haven’t given up though!”

Aaron has designed beautiful labels for the plants and now the residents can walk around the village not only admiring the camellias, but also knowing which variety they are, which gives a more complete experience of the garden. Aaron loves sharing his passion with the residents and some of them even like challenging his expertise.

Angela Dunsmuir started working as a hairdresser at Remuera Gardens more than two years ago, after eight years working as the manager of a hair salon. “I love how people are loyal at the village. They have all the time in the world, so you don’t feel the hustle and bustle of working at a salon, where you’re constantly looking at the time and people are always in a hurry. Here is so much more relaxed and even if they don’t have an appointment they stop and have a chat which is really nice. They end up becoming your friends.”

Angela has made lots of friends working at the village. She loves listening to the residents’ life stories and seeing the family pictures they sometimes bring along. She also enjoys her lunch break, when she can step outside the salon and enjoy the tranquillity of Remuera Gardens’ spacious landscaped gardens – with over 150 different kinds of roses!

Angela studied graphic design but after finishing her studies she decided to try hairdressing and she has never looked back. She loves the creativity involved in her job: “When you’re cutting hair it is like you’re sculpting”, she says with her lovely big smile, “I like working with my hands and the social aspect of hairdressing.”