Kat Rodger founded Duncan Rd in 2019, but her story starts on Duncan Road in Kaingaroa (Northland, NZ), where she grew up barefoot and busy, playing in the dirt, crossing the creek, and picking flowers from the roadside (and, occasionally, other people’s gardens). As the youngest of three with two older brothers, she spent a lot of time on her own, following her curiosity.

Her love for flowers runs in the family, and her grandmother filled her home with weekly arrangements (also often picked from the neighbours' gardens). Her mum’s wild garden was where she first started cutting bunches to give to friends, usually for birthdays, sometimes just because.

When a friend asked her to bring fresh flowers regularly, that was the beginning. She planted three small beds, just five metres long, and started growing. Now, she farms just under a quarter acre of flowers on her family property in Waipapakauri, cultivating them with the seasons and nourishing the soil as if it’s sacred; still finding that same joy every time she picks a bunch.

It’s not just about flowers. It never was. It’s about building something with your hands, sharing beauty with others, and creating a life that feels rooted.