Gardening

It’s not news that New Zealand has the highest rate of melanoma (skin cancer) in the world, thanks to lying right under a massive hole in the protective ozone layer of the atmosphere. This unfortunate positioning means that, especially between the hours of 10am and 4pm, from September to April, we really do take our life in our hands when we’re working or relaxing in the big outdoors – and that includes in the garden.

Talk to a friend in the northern hemisphere, and they can never understand why leaving the garden for a Christmas break is so difficult. That’s because their garden is well and truly on holiday itself by the time the festive season comes around, and probably buried under a layer of snow! For Kiwi gardeners, however, getting away for even a few days over summer takes some serious planning. To make it a little easier, here are a few tried and true tips to help.

Most of us wish we didn’t have to deal with weeds, yet these traditionally bothersome plants ...

Christmas is coming, and there’s no better way to prepare for it than with gorgeous plantings of red, white and green. Plant in narrow beds along the path, or in pots on the deck where your living festive colour will receive the attention it deserves.

If you think poppies, in their many different guises and flowering times, are confusing, wait until you meet the iris family!

Beautiful spring bulbs have been lighting up the country since late-winter. Now is the time to care for your spent bulbs so they have the best chance of blooming again, next spring.

Berries are among the most anticipated summer fruits – so why is it that gardeners are, more often than not, disappointed by them? The answer is three-fold: poor pruning, inadequate feeding, and insufficient watering.

Spring is on our doorstep, and seeds haven’t got any cheaper. In this season of seed-sowing, ...

If you’re a gardener, you’re probably feeling irritated that your otherwise perfectly sound produce is now ...

Spring is just around the corner, and one of the joys of the season is when ...