Plants

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

Poor soil conditions don’t necessarily mean a poor garden. Turn your wasteland of rubble into a pretty paradise Photo via Getty Images Gardeners are constantly exhorted to improve their soil conditions, to add lime, well-rotted compost and manure, to water in the evening, to do this, do that… all to give their plants their best […]

Don’t let these poisonous plants bewitch you Iceland poppy, larkspur, lily of the valley and daphne: all so pretty, but along with dozens of other plants found in our gardens, all toxic to both people and animals. Eating daphne can cause anything from drooling, vomiting, and inflamed kidneys to arrhythmia, seizures, coma and even death. […]

If you didn’t inherit green thumbs or your potted greenery turns brown take heart, Jo Lambell’s got good news for you Yucca Yucca Elephantipes The yucca plant delivers on all fronts – it’s sturdy, resilient and striking. Native to Mexico, the yucca has distinctive sword-like leaves and grows strong, with no need for stakes or […]

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 […]

Ready to test your green thumb out on a new feature plant for your home? Here are five different varieties that are challenging the fiddle-leaf fig for indoor plant supremacy Both the fiddle-leaf fig (ficus lyrata) and the large-leafed monstera deliciosa (AKA Swiss cheese plant) have been at the forefront of the indoor plant trend […]

Frothy fronds, sculptural stems and bead-like trails of foliage. Take your pick from this lust-worthy line-up of indoor plants, plus top tips on how to keep them alive 1. Bird of paradise We prize them as garden plants in warmer parts of New Zealand but bird of paradise (Stelitzia reginae) is now a rock-star house […]

With its relaxed, tropical vibe, this apartment feels a world away from its inner-city Auckland location. Take a tour and use these expert tips to make your own indoor jungle Meet and greet  Ron Goh, digital designer, and Matthew O’Brien, customer care manager, plus Ninny the chihuahua and Teddy the miniature schnauzer. This cool loft […]

A converted historic building in Auckland’s central city houses a magical home filled with an array of lush tropical plants – as well as one very stylish couple Meet and greet  Ron Goh, digital designer, and Matthew O’Brien, customer care manager, plus Ninny the chihuahua and Teddy the miniature schnauzer. This converted historic building is […]

The trick to keeping your indoor plants happy and healthy. Here’s why you need to clean your indoor plants regularly Keeping your indoor plants alive involves much more than simply watering them when you remember. Sunlight requirements need to be met, the temperature needs to be just right, potting mix must be the right blend […]

The Japanese method of wrapping plants in moss, soil and string is easy, addictive and beautiful. In this extract from Hanging Kokedama by Coraleigh Parker, we discover how to get started Use this step-by-step guide to make Japanese inspired hanging Kokedama There is something intrinsically inviting and soothing about the form of kokedama, through the […]

Whether you live in an apartment or a palace, cultivating a variety of plants that stimulate all five senses can improve your health and wellbeing 10 ways you can use plants to improve your well-being Having a connection with nature is essential for human beings to thrive, particularly children. In fact many experts agree that […]

Indoor plants not only drastically improve air quality in your home or office, they can actually reduce stress and make you happier Indoor air can be really unhealthy  It’s hard to fathom, but the air we breathe indoors may contain 10 times more pollutants than outdoor air. Synthetic materials in our modern, energy-efficient buildings and […]

Shelley Ferguson rounds up some expert advice from The Botanist’s Eden Hessell on which indoor plants will love living in this moisture-rich room 10 indoor plants that are perfect for your bathroom Plants add interest, texture and colour to your bathroom – they even purify the air. But not all houseplants are happy living in […]

Carefully selected and positioned indoor plants can create fabulous interest and texture. We round up 8 lush plants you need in your home 8 of the best indoor plants to make a statement in your home Large indoor plants or trees – such as this Spathiphyllum ‘Sensation’ (above left) and fiddle-leaf fig – make a […]

Indoor plants add depth, colour and style to any room in your home. Here’s our top 10 easy-to-care-for plants that are perfect for a hanging display Our top 10 indoor hanging plants that are hard to kill Run out of floor space thanks to your ever-growing indoor plant collection? Guilty! Whether this is you or not, hanging […]

Greening the walls and adding a soft screen of slender trees will transform a nondescript corner into a delightful paved courtyard A problem courtyard gets a stylish and fragrant garden plan Dear Carol, We have a problem area which we are keen to see turned into a stylish courtyard. The site faces east and only […]

Horticulturalist Ryan McQuerry shows us how to choose the right indoorplants to bring the luscious look of the tropics into our homes or workplace How to create your own little jungle with these lush indoor plants Tropical-looking indoor plants are back in fashion in a big way. If you want to create a tropical paradise […]

Don’t let your trip away be the death of your plants, use our 8 top tips to keep your house plants healthy and happy when your’e on holiday 1. Lighten the load Before leaving, prune off any dead, dying, or unsightly foliage and also remove any buds or flowers, which usually require more frequent watering to […]

Holidays and the hot sun are a deadly mix for your garden in January. Use this handy checklist to help keep your plants happy and healthy this summer  Your January checklist to help your garden through the hot summer months It’s holiday time for many people but plants have to work harder in midsummer as it’s their peak […]

November is the ideal time to stake your plants, step up your watering regime and tidy-up in preparation for summer. Here’s a round-up of things to tick off your spring to-do list Your November gardening to-do list Stake your plants November can be windy so make sure recently planted shrubs, trees and tall perennials are staked […]

A bare Bayview section was a dream come true for a landscape designer with a passion for plants and a penchant for colour A landscape designer struck gold with this Bayview, Auckland garden Finding a garden that is a completely blank canvas is like striking gold for most landscape designers. Sandra Batley of Flourish Garden […]

This landscape designer struck gold with this empty Bayview garden, transforming the bare section into a lush, eye-catching oasis  Finding a garden that is a completely blank canvas is like striking gold for most landscape designers. Sandra Batley of Flourish Garden Design was smitten when she and partner John Eagleton discovered a 1970s clinker-brick two-bedroom […]

Beat the late summer blues by rejuvenating flower beds and lawns with a little loving care Your March planting guide Gardens can look a little jaded by the end of summer but an easy way to add colour and interest is to fill containers and gaps in flower beds with brightly-hued annuals and perennials that bloom […]

Everything you need to know to keep your pot plants going.