Gardening

Before you go and create an indoor jungle, find our guide on everything you need to know.

Gifts that reflect their passion for the garden bed.

Life doesn’t simply give us lemons.

This garden is a place of healing and joy, as well as being a bit bonkers.

Meet gardening content creator and Tui ambassador Poppy Prendergast

Let's be honest, we all judge a house by its cover.

Hearty and delicious vegetables that are easy to grow.

Clean, fresh and beautiful, white flowers are always a favourite

Quit the trips to the supermarket and grow this staple at home

The humble garden shed is a necessity in every Kiwi backyard.

Next time you enjoy a sweet and tasty feijoa, keep the seeds to ensure a never-ending supply for years to come.

You can enjoy your own bounty of homegrown vegetables by following this easy garden guide for what to harvest, plant and sow in March

Block planting their small, sloping section is the key to creating a garden brimming with perennials, vegetables, fruit trees and succulents.

The best kind of creepy crawlies to find in your garden

Biophilic design principles have been applied to a new garden at North Shore Hospital and can be applied to your own home too, says Ryan McQuerry

Does bathing beneath a leafy canopy float your rubber ducky? We’ve devised a comprehensive list of things to bear in mind before install your outdoor shower or bath.

Looking for a low-maintenance way to add colour, texture, movement and structure to a garden?

Make the most of your outdoor space with a thriving raised garden bed.

Your late summer gardening is a great time to plant seeds for the months ahead, as it's traditionally the hottest time of the year.

Barren spot? Hideous shed? Steep slope? Our expert Carol Bucknell diagnoses common garden problems and offers fast, easy cures.

Hydrangeas are a classic, full-bodied flower that adds colour and drama to the garden.

Greytown independent book store owner Millie Blackwell, of Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop fame, shares some gardening picks.

A gardening guru gives her top tips for growing your favourite summer fruit

A backyard trampoline is sure to put a spring in the whole family's step.

An excerpt from garden and interior designer Michael's long-awaited book Everyday Opulence.

Rachel Clare grows vegetables, herbs and as many flowers as she can fit in her raised garden beds.

Fragrant lavender is easy to care for, as long as you avoid a few common mistakes.

A mandarin tree may not be a short-term project, but if you can put in the work and nurture it for the years required to grow strong, it'll be so rewarding

As the days become warmer take the time to prepare your garden beds if you want to ensure a bumper growing season. Here are the top tasks to add to your September gardening list Your September gardening to-do list The weather mightn’t be markedly different, nor does the garden suddenly spring into life, but there […]

Spring has finally sprung! It’s the perfect time to get out into the sunshine and get your hands dirty with some spring planting and harvesting Photographer: Martina Gemmola A new season is upon us, which means it’s time to get busy in the garden and the vegetable patch! But before you begin planting delicious spring […]

Raspberries need very little room and grow easily up any vertical support

Encourage your children to run, play and dig into the joy of being outside, then nurture a love of gardening.

All the things you need to check off your list for a flowery spring Marigolds are a natural pest deterrent – perfect for a sustainable garden in spring. Spring is the ideal time to plant colourful flowers. There is a plethora of varieties you can plant that will enliven your garden and create a vibrant […]

The taste of summer, right in your backyard.

These juicy gems are ideal for beginners, busy people and small gardens

Spring is knocking on winter’s door so it’s time to do a bit of soil prep, pruning and veggie planting in anticipation of the warmer months Chores to consider for August gardening The last month of winter is often the most brutal but it is also when the new season is tantalisingly within our sights. […]

Create a healthy garden without wasting water Photography: Hannah Puechmarin Watering plants – it sounds simple, right? Just get the hose, or watering can, and let the water flow until the plants have had their fill. While this does describe the general routine of plant watering, once you actually go to do it, you might […]

Celebrate the appearance of the Matariki star cluster, traditionally a time to plan for the upcoming growing season Pikopiko is a New Zealand native fern. 1. Paydirt On arrival in Aotearoa in the 13th century, one of the first things Māori would have realised was that the plants and seeds they had brought from east […]

Insta gardener and Garden Hacks author Filip Johansson shares a fast and fun way to grow some delicious edibles Garden Hacks: 70 Smart, Sustainable Tips for Gardeners by Filip Johansson, is available at Paper Plus Microgreens have become very trendy. The word may sound high-tech, but they’re nothing more than delicate seedlings of regular plants. […]

The 10 best winter garden tasks you can do for your garden and plants 1. Take stock of your climate and act accordingly In regions with dry summers, you may want to consider building a water tank or at least installing a rainwater butt. Areas with a high water table will need you to think […]

It’s time to plant new fruit trees, pop in some leafy green seedlings and plan spring crops Chores for your early winter gardening Winter has come. Activity in the garden is slowing. In cooler parts of the country, growth has all but stopped. With the plants needing less attention, more time can be paid to […]

What’s growing on with Insta home gardener Annabel Sandison Christchurch nurse, wife and mum-of-two, Annabel Sandison shares what she’s growing with handy tips and hacks in her little slice of paradise on Instagram. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed in her neighbourhood either – her garden received a Christchurch Street and Community Pride Garden Award. […]

This May gardening to-do list is packed full of the best winter blooms, tips for Mother’s Day, and how to protect your plants in frosty temps Autumn bliss: The gardening chores to tackle in May There is a certain urgency in the air. As the last month of Autumn, May signals your last chance to […]

Known for being minimal, considered and serene, bring the soft, lush elements of Japanese style to your urban haven When we think of a Japanese garden, tranquil visions of raked shingle, bonsai, mossy rocks and lone pines float past. While there are many such beautiful and serene gardens to be found, usually around temples and […]

A step-by-step guide to propagating rosemary for all your cooking needs Rosemary is an easy-to-grow, woody herb plant that, once established, will thrive on neglect. It is versatile on the plate, in a mocktail, and in the garden. Clip it into a tidy hedge for a manicured garden, or for a more cottage-style look, leave it to […]

Get arty and turn your green space into an outdoor gallery with the use of fun garden sculptures We’re spending more and more time in our gardens, and it’s not necessarily gardening. Now, as an extension of our living spaces, gardens are increasingly becoming home to art. Embracing many forms, from the highbrow to DIY, […]

As summer flowers and veggies fade, and even though there’s still much to harvest, it’s time to prep your garden for autumn Red rowan berries are often too bitter for people to eat raw, but they make a beautiful Rowan berry jam.  Chores to prepare your garden for autumn And just like that, autumn is […]

While there may be little new under the sun, there are new ways – or ways new to us – to use many of our common plantsDahlias are not only a statement piece in a summer garden, but also a delightful flavour in tea. Dahlia tubers for tea When peak dahlia has been reached and […]

As our backyards shrink, the small pool trend grows - here are five inspiring ideas if you’re contemplating putting one in

Upgrade your home by installing a refurbished backyard caravan to use as a retreat, sleep-out, office space or party-ready cocktail bar.

Design and durability go hand in hand when setting up outdoor furniture Photographer: Claire Takacs Finding the right outdoor furniture can be a challenge – and that’s because it’s personal. For some, meaningful outdoor living is all about that brief but sacred moment when it’s just them and their morning coffee on the balcony. For […]

From tying a bucket to your bottom for a highly portable weeding seat to using old bras to support melons on the vine, there are some pretty crazy gardening hacks out here. We’ve weeded out the wheat from the chaff to give you 12 of our favourites. From the seemingly absurd to the commonsense, all […]

As the days grow longer and the soil warms up, spend some time on a little flower tending and appreciation. What to plant in October October gardening is all about planting and anticipation. And, of course, enjoying all the beauty abounding. The month is the peak rhododendron flowering time. Make a note to visit a […]

Gardening in planters is a great way to brighten up and give character to a courtyard. Here are five golden rules that will help your pots make the biggest splash. Planter size matters If you think the pot you have chosen is big enough, then go one or two sizes bigger. Not only do smaller […]

Spring is slowly creeping in and the change in seasons is giving us a lot to do in the garden. Here’s a handy checklist of vegetables to harvest, sow and plant, with a bonus seedling care guide.  What to harvest this September + Broad beans are a favourite winter crop. They cope with cold, wind […]

Follow gardening editor Mary Lovell-Smith’s fun guide and conjure up your own edible delights Novel, rewarding, delicious and nutritious, growing your own edible mushrooms can be easy to do at home. Not only does it take the anxiety out of harvesting in the wild, chances are you already have the perfect shady spot. Multiple reasons […]

Spring is just around the corner and it’s time to get a head start on planning for the new season Winter may not be quite over but spring with all its joys and glories beckons. In preparation for this great awakening, thought should be given as to what to grow in the coming months. Seeds […]

Whether you have $10, $100, $1000 or more to spend on your garden, consider this cash-savvy advice Be it a dispassionate assessment or wild fantasising over what could be, before the garden dons its spring glories an appraisal may be in order. Starting a garden from scratch or wanting to tart up an existing one, […]

Winter is a dormant time for plants, so snuggle down and enjoy some gardening inspo while planning for spring Top of the pops Around 100 species of poppy grow around the world, but it’s the red Flanders poppy (Papaver rhoeas) that will always hold a special place in Kiwi hearts. Poppies grow best in well-drained […]

What to sow and grow to get your greens this winter It’s midwinter, the cold and damp are becoming tedious, you’ve a hankering for fresh greens, and to boot, veggie prices are sky-high. But take heart, we have some solutions. Can I grow vegetables to be harvested in winter? The short answer is yes, and […]

How to give your exterior the wow factor for under $200 and $1000 To maximise your home’s potential, take a look outside. At some point we’ve all been guilty of neglecting exterior areas, whether it’s slippery steps or peeling paint. “Your front porch is the first thing you and your guests see when arriving at […]

Winter is the season to set the groundwork for the next growing cycle – from planting trees and garlic to preparing the soil Chores for the month  As the cold bites, autumn’s mellow fruitfulness seems long gone, but it’s not forgotten because winter is the season for fruit tree planting. What you plant will depend […]

Growth may be slowing down, but May is not too late to put in some cold-tolerant leafy greens for spring eating And so to bed As the nights grow longer and the temperatures fall, plant growth slows, sometimes to a standstill. Although less useful in warmer climates, most gardens appreciate being put to bed now, […]

Get your hands dirty over the long Easter weekend and turn your garden into an autumnal happy place Finale The last of summer’s flowers are putting on their final show, a glorious blast of colour. Stop and admire the blooms, which from hibiscus to helenium, from bougainvillea to rudbeckia are bathing in the light of […]

Autumn is harvesting and nature’s planting time in the garden. Here’s what to gather, sow and grow this month Chores “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,” wrote Keats in his sumptuous ode to the glories of autumn. For the gardener, it is a time of harvest, when the fruit filled “with ripeness to the core” […]

10 ways to vamp up the fabulosity of your garden, relatively quickly 1 Floral pick-me-up One of the prettiest ways to lift the mood of a garden is with flowers. Too many, mind, may overpower the greenery – a rule of thumb for a winning ratio of flowers to foliage is one to five. The […]

Smooth the transition from summer into autumn with prudent nips and tucks, and harvest and store the last of the summer bounty How to let nature do the sowing In nature, plants drop their seeds as they become ripe. These seeds then sit on the soil and wait until the season and conditions are right […]

Get picking on the daily – it’s summer harvest time in the garden January is a traditional time for holidays in Aotearoa. That it coincides with peak harvest can be annoying if you’re planning on heading off for a sunny sojourn at the beach or river. Unless you get someone to come and pick them […]

Christmas is a time when all the family get together to celebrate the festive season. Here’s what to plant, sow and grow before the masses descend Your checklist for getting the garden in shape for the festive season: Step-up deadheading of flowers. This removal of fading blooms means the energy that the plants would have […]

Nothing beats jumping into a pool on a hot summer’s day. Here’s what you need to know about installing your own before making the leap While there are many appealing factors to owning a pool it’s not all plain sailing. Pools allow you to have that resort-at-home vibe without the need for travel and becomes […]

It’s the life source for all living things and a precious resource, so here are nine ways to conserve water in the garden Wandering around the garden at dusk, hose in one hand and glass of wine in the other, admiring the roses; or maybe at sunrise with the watering can, a cup of tea […]

It’s time to plant some summer-loving crops as the days become warmer and there are more hours to spend in the garden To do November is a busy month in the garden. Spring is in full fury. At no other time of year are the greens so bright and the flowers so fresh. Amongst all […]

Set up a seedling exchange, what to plant this month for a good harvest, shade-loving edibles and cool water tanks Sow and swap October means one thing to New Zealand’s edible gardeners – tomatoes. Their seeds may be sown under cover now. For variety, and to extend production, why not get together with like-minded friends, […]

As the price of getting your five-plus a day sky rockets, it pays to know size isn’t everything when it comes to growing your own incredible edibles On balconies, storeys off the ground, in pocket-sized townhouse courtyards, in narrow strips along suburban drives or slender window ledges, vegetables are being grown. This is a pastime […]

After a hard winter, the season of growth has finally arrived September 1 is the official start of spring, the season of rejuvenation when it feels like nature has given us the go-ahead to get out into the garden, sowing and planting. But patience is prudent in all but the warmest parts of the country. […]

Australian celebrity landscape gardener Charlie Albone has some smart ideas for working magic in small garden spaces Small spaces The small garden is the way of the future. As blocks of land shrink and houses get bigger, sadly it’s the garden that suffers – so it’s imperative you get the space right and make it […]

Late winter isn’t the time to put away the gumboots and spade. Keep up with the gardening chores because spring is just round the corner Pot to pot Potato planting time is upon us, and with it the thrill and incomparable flavour of homegrown spuds in early summer. Often, when space is an issue, potatoes […]

Granny flats have come into their own in as versatile dwellings with multiple uses. Here’s what you need to know As the world has reviewed what ‘normal life’ means over past few years, many of us have re-evaluated our living situations thanks to spending more time at home. We’re looking at our surroundings with new […]

Take some cold comfort this month by doing a little ground work Garden work If the ground is not too wet and the soil free draining, early snap and sugar peas, both cool-weather crops, may be sown in all but frost-prone zones, in which case sowing should be delayed until spring. An arrangement of twigs […]

Not too many plants flower in winter, so it makes the cheer and hope they offer on bleak days all the more special. We’ve chosen 10 of the best, to suit a host of conditions and aesthetics 1. Light my fire Aloe aborescens hails from south-east Africa, where it grows from the coast to the […]

Planting native trees is a no-brainer. Leading landscape designer Michael Mansvelt shares his all-time favourites

In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of rainbows and like its romantic namesake, these tall, elegant blooms come in a multitude of colours I would like to say that all irises are beautiful, but they are not. Given the genus contains up to 300 species, that is hardly surprising. Despite often being called the […]

Lana Taylor, Erin Cayless and Bonnie Hindmarsh are three professional renovators known as Three Birds. In their latest book Three Birds Renovations, they put their skills to use giving a cottage a new lease of life – exterior included When we put out a call asking if anyone in Sydney wanted us to renovate their […]

From small courtyard to entertaining hang-out, here’s how to dial up the style and make the most of your summer living space We’re a nation that loves to venture outdoors to play, relax and entertain. But unfortunately – unlike warmer climes with almost-constant sunshine and blue skies – our variable climate makes outdoor living a […]

What does your astrological sign say about the way you should tend your garden? Plenty! Aries MARCH 21 TO APRIL 19 You natural-born leaders, fearless trendsetters and slightly self-absorbed souls love unusual, bold and striking plants. Your garden has the hottest plant before it becomes hot; the coolest designs before they become cool. None dare […]

There is so much more to paths than just perfunctory straight lines. With long-distance travel out, it’s a great opportunity to go on a journey without leaving your garden Useful as they are for getting from A to B, from the back door to the washing line or the front door to the gate, paths […]

Is your garden a bleak vista inhabited by a few straggly citrus trees on the lawn, or do you live in a house where the outside areas feel disconnected from the inside? From creating a good first impression to planting for the future, our expert landscape designer has some sage advice Like anything worthwhile, the […]

The enduring love affair we have with roses is strong. From the best smelling to the thornless, here’s our top 21 picks of the bunch Fossil evidence shows the rose to be an ancient flower – about 35 million years old, in fact. From Central Asia it spread throughout the northern hemisphere – America, Europe, […]

Even the smallest space can bring you summer joy If you think your balcony is too small to provide a beautiful outdoor room to escape to, think again. Take a look at your tiny balcony. Does it serve as an outdoor room, or is it crowded with junk, dead pot plants, washing lines, mops and […]

Transform the look of your home with the new Matte range from COLORSTEEL®  For rugby great and keen surfer Sir John Kirwan, finding just the right finish for the rebuild of his family bach in Waihi was incredibly important. “I’ve been going there all my life. It’s like my spiritual home,” he says. He wanted […]

Leading landscape architect Di Lucas’ creative and sustainable influence can be seen in many of the country’s big projects, so it’s no surprise her own outdoor space works in peaceful harmony with its environment A well-considered garden design references not only the architecture of the building it surrounds, but also the wider landscape including its […]

From ceramic to terracotta to concrete, here’s how to match your planter to your interior style and arrange your pots like a pro Pots come in many shapes and sizes, in materials such as ceramic, terracotta, aluminium, fibreglass, stone, concrete and plastic. Plants can be planted into any number of containers – you are only […]

The outdoor shower is increasingly becoming a regular feature in the backyard, here’s all you need to know  It’s a scorching hot summer day, and you’ve arrived home after a swim at the beach. You’re feeling refreshed and invigorated, but you’re also covered in sand and sea salt. Rinse off in the sunshine under an […]

Bring a plant parent can be hard, luckily you can use these five simple signposts to make sure you’re keeping them happy and healthy The average size of a section has shrunk by about a third over the past 30 years, signalling the end of the Kiwi quarter-acre dream. But having only a small patch, […]

Ready to get planting but don’t know where to begin? Use this easy guide for all the best plant combinations to try in your pots Match your plant to the location Almost any type of plant can be grown in a pot, and there are so many different effects you can achieve. Select plants based […]

Every outdoor area needs a space that’s sheltered from the sun’s harsh rays. Here’s how to create the perfect shady spot Being in the garden and enjoying the sunshine is one of life’s top simple pleasures. But when the temperatures rise and the UV rays are strong, it’s a welcome relief to find a shady […]

These three outdoor settings take you through the day, from brekkie in the sunshine, to a lazy afternoon read-and-snooze, then dinner al fresco 1. Breakfast in the sun: Nothing really beats breakfast in the sun on a summer’s morning. Make breakfast service a breeze with a stylish bar cart laden with your favourite brekkie foods. […]

ZM Drive Show host Clint Roberts and Your Home and Garden contributor Lucy Slight share how they’re sorted for easy summer living, thanks to Cabot’s Aquadeck Nothing says ‘Kiwi summer’ like alfresco feasts with friends and family. The evenings are long, the weather is warm and those well-deserved bevvies are moreishly cold. And there’s nowhere […]

Want to take your al fresco cooking to a new level? Here’s how to create the ultimate outdoor kitchen and go from burnt sausages to haute cuisine Barbecuing has long been a part of the Kiwi summer experience, but more and more people want to take their al fresco cooking to the next level with […]

It’s not too late to sow courgettes for summer, plus now’s the time to plant your annual herbs – a kitchen staple. See more garden tasks below Harvest Salad greens: For the freshest salads, pick rocket, lettuce, radicchio and mesclun in the morning when leaves are fully hydrated. Do the same for leafy greens such as […]