Circulation growth for leading home title NZ House & Garden shows New Zealanders are just as in love with their homes as ever.

In the latest round of magazine circulation results (the ABC audit of circulation) NZ House & Garden is one of only two titles in the home category to show increasing circulation in recent times. NZ House & Garden is showing increased retail and subscription sales (to 47,600 copies a month) and, with more than half a million readers each month (Nielsen figure), the magazine remains the clear market leader in the home category.

"More and more people are buying NZ House & Garden again each month," says editor Kate Coughlan, who returned to the magazine last April. "New Zealanders love their homes and this recession is not changing that. In fact, many of our readers say they are more focused on their homes than ever.

"They tell us they love the changes we introduced last year with lots of homes in a broad range of decorating styles, from all over New Zealand, lots of beautiful and inspirational gardens and directional shopping pages as well as the great food and recipes the magazine has always been known for.

"When times get tough people need their home, more than ever, to be that safe haven in which family life is sheltered from the world. Our readers say they love to dream to, even if they can't afford something this month, they can enjoy planning for the future. And we all recognise that our homes are our biggest investment and we need to keep them up to the mark to protect that investment. The magazine is a tool in that process."

The public has a rare chance to glimpse into House and Garden-quality homes next month when NZ House & Garden collaborates with two charities, Look Good Feel Better and The Cancer Society of New Zealand, to open the doors to some of the country's most interesting homes to raise funds. (Limited tickets available via Ticketmaster).