Graham Renwick has 1000 teapots, but does not drink tea.
Much as the 58-year old former chef loves working on his quirky Owaka attraction, Teapot Land, he prefers coffee in the morning.
''I don't like tea. I just like teapots.''
Mr Renwick created Teapot Land on his main street property in Owaka about eight years ago.
Arranged in a small 6m patch, the teapot garden is reminiscent of the Mad Hatter's tea party in Alice in Wonderland.
While there was not a March hare or a dormouse scattered on the Renwicks' patio, there was a hutch for winged visitors - one up a pole, in the shape of a teapot, for doves.
Originally from Dunedin, Mr Renwick moved to Owaka about 22 years ago with his wife Judith (59) after giving up a career as a chef due to an injury that left him incapacitated.
He joined the New Zealand Navy as a chef at the age of 17, sticking with the navy for five years before cooking around the country.
Mr Renwick moved to Owaka to be with his brother, but enjoyed the quiet life so much he and his wife decided to stay put, even when his brother left.
It was, ironically, coffee that led him to creating the offbeat attraction.
He was digging away at some weeds in the garden, when he found an old coffeepot and put it on the fence.
''I came inside and I looked out [at it] and thought, `That looks quite good'.''
He went to the Salvation Army shop in search of some company for the lone coffeepot, but could find only teapots.
Mr Renwick purchased more over the years and accepted of donations from visitors to the garden.
One person sent him a teapot from England, others just appear.
''Sometimes I find a new teapot sitting in the grass outside.''
The teapot total has grown to more than 1000, the whole garden is covered, and he daily hunts online for more.
There were more benefits than just filling in time, he said.
Since creating Teapot Land, he had noticed a real difference in how he interacted with others.
Previously reserved and shy, now, thanks, he believed, to the assortment of people that stopped by to see the teapots, he found himself much more comfortably engaging in conversation.
He reckoned that on a good summer's day a few hundred people would visit Teapot Land.
Every day there was someone out taking photos of the teapots.
''I think the community quite likes it and the kids come down from school to take pictures.''
It kept him busy, not least because Teapot Land was continually changing.
Every year the teapots were arranged differently.
In the winter, teapots made of metal, able to bear a good southern frost, graced the garden, while warmer weather brought out the brighter, bolder and more interesting teapots.
He hoped to bring the summer teapots out next for November, including one of his favourites, a teapot in the shape of a cow.
by Samuel White
