They say true farmers never retire, and that can certainly be said for former Canterbury dairy farmer Michael Wells.

He may not be farming anymore, but he definitely isn't sitting still.

Michael has turned skills gained from a lifetime of fixing and fabricating tools and equipment on the farm to creating corten steel sculptures.

"I come from that typical farming background where you either fix it, make it or repair it," Michael says.

It all began 25 years ago when Michael's wife, Tammy, bought a sculpture for their garden at their home on the outskirts of Christchurch.

Michael had a very classic farmer reaction to the purchase.

"My response was- I could have made that," Michael said.

Michael found that creating steel sculptures was more challenging than he thought, so he started making barbed wire balls.

Michael retired from farming in 2015, but he kept himself busy.

"I did a bit of farm managing, then played around creating the garden, making sculptures and playing golf."

When Covid hit, Michael took advantage of the time in lockdown to take his art to another level, creating Corten steel sculptures and developing the extensive gardens.

Corten steel, otherwise known as Weathering steel, oxidises to natural earthy tones that blend with the landscape.

"It has a sacrificial layer on it, so when it rusts, it protects the layer underneath."

Michael experimented with patterns and shapes, creating pieces often featuring repeating curves and peaceful symmetry.

"Not coming from an engineering background, you have to learn fairly quickly what does and doesn't happen with steel."

After lockdown, Michael had his first success when the couple hosted a golf party in their garden and sold four sculptures.

That gave Michael the confidence to display sculptures for sale in the Hurunui Garden Festival at Karetu Downs, where he now exhibits yearly.

"I am trying to create something different from what everyone else has done; that's the hard part.

"It's my take on it, and I try to do it at a reasonable cost."

Moving the heavy and often oversized pieces can be challenging, so Michael often uses the old farm tractor.

"After all my years of farming, you get very clever at getting an end result with something that doesn't want to move that easily.

" So you just think outside the square, but I don't think Osh would be overly happy."

The Wells's garden is the perfect backdrop for Michael's pieces.

"We both believe a garden makes a sculpture, and a sculpture makes a garden.

"They both go hand in hand," Tammy said.

The couple started opening the grounds to tour groups by appointment after giving the garden a facelift for their son's wedding two years ago.

Many of the plants came from cuttings from family and friends.

"Once we got it looking nice, we thought, let's keep it nice; there's a reason for it now.

"And the $15 we charge per head for groups helps pay for the sprays and the other costs."

An old pig shed at the bottom of the garden has been repurposed as a charming retreat and gift shop for tour groups.

A piano in the shed was saved from the dump, and an ornate decorative fireplace was salvaged from the farm cottage.

"We both believe very much in using what you've got.

"Everything deserves to carry on having a life, although in a different capacity perhaps," Tammy said.

While the garden is time-consuming, the Wells still enjoy maintaining it.

As a keen golfer, Michael's pride and joy is the meticulously maintained lawn.

"I sit on the mower and contemplate what has been or what is about to be," Michael said.

By Claire Inkson