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Gardening expert Mary Lovell-Smith shares her favourite species of iris

Gardening expert Mary Lovell-Smith shares her favourite species of iris

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 […]
The city feels a world away in this subtropical Auckland garden

The city feels a world away in this subtropical Auckland garden

Once lacking life and vibrancy, this inner-city Auckland garden has been turned into a subtropical sanctuary with a subtle Asian sensibility Among the many beautiful architecturally designed homes and gardens that line the streets around Auckland’s inner-city, there’s a special set of trees that grab the attention of passers-by. The graceful trunks and cloud-pruned foliage […]
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A once gorse-covered garden is now home to a horde of rare, lush plants

A once gorse-covered garden is now home to a horde of rare, lush plants

Flora fanatic Dylan Norfield has transformed a gorse-covered Blueskin Bay site into a wonderland of rare and interesting plants Like many gardeners, Dylan Norfield has an addiction – an addiction to plants, that is. It’s hardly surprising, considering his parents ran a nursery and his job is managing the plant collections at Dunedin Botanic Garden. […]
Nurse-turned-landscape designer creates a garden for family, birds and bees

Nurse-turned-landscape designer creates a garden for family, birds and bees

This nurse-turned-designer wanted a garden that offered privacy and poolside fun for her family as well as biodiversity for birds and bees Meet + greet Louise Hanlon, (landscape designer), her husband Nick, Maxim, 18, Scarlett, 14, plus Monty the dog. Nursing and landscape design may seem like two very different professions but for Auckland-based designer […]
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This home’s tropical garden is made for outdoor entertaining

This home’s tropical garden is made for outdoor entertaining

A little digger and some clever ideas have produced a magical tropical garden with year-round colour and the cutest morning coffee spot When the scale of a landscaping project is too big to handle, it makes sense to call in the professionals. That’s what Helen Dewsnap and Geoff Watson did when they decided to revamp […]
How this bountiful garden has colourful flowers blooming all-year round

How this bountiful garden has colourful flowers blooming all-year round

Ten years of hard work by this green-fingered gardener and her handy husband have transformed an empty Marlborough paddock into an abundant and blooming garden fit for a king – and hordes of garden-loving visitors It’s considered a great honour to have your garden selected for Garden Marlborough, a renowned garden tour that has taken […]
Our gardens editor shares her top 5 plants for beginner gardeners

Our gardens editor shares her top 5 plants for beginner gardeners

Garden editor, Carol Bucknell, tells us about her own garden and shares her top five plants every beginner gardener should consider YH&G gardens editor Carol Bucknell has been with us since 1994, when ruched blinds, bullnose benchtops and coloured windows were all the rage. We asked her how she became a gardening guru and how […]
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This versatile garden balances family function with mid-century design

This versatile garden balances family function with mid-century design

This mid-century home’s garden was overdue for a modern update. Landscape designer Ben Shearer found inspiration in the geometric shapes and concrete elements of the original house – as well as the needs of two adventurous kids How to create a garden that would meet the needs of a young family without compromising the elegant, clean […]