Wet summer gardening
What to do in your garden after an unseasonably rainy summer. A rain-soaked summer can leave gardens looking lush, leggy, diseased or just a bit confused. If this season felt nothing like a typical Christchurch summer, you’re not imagining it. As autumn approaches, your garden will benefit from a slightly different kind of […]
Proper pruning: Complete Trees and Milling
From pruning trees and hedge cutting to technical rigging and complex removals, it pays to get a helping hand when maintaining your outdoor space. Trees are a critical and living part of our surroundings that deserve our respect and care, so say Ben and Jake, qualified arborists with more than 20 years of […]
New year, new garden: Your Garden Genie
Transforming your outside home can be a daunting process; just knowing where to start can be the first hurdle. That’s when you need a helping hand. Or two. Transforming your garden ticks a lot of boxes, it adds value of course but most of all it makes your property a place you love […]
From zero garden to hero garden
A majestic group of pyramid-like conifers draw visitors up the driveway of Jim Kettle and Tracey O’Callaghan’s Rangiora property. The formal garden entrance belies the colour and delight that lies beyond. “Those trees were already here,” says Tracey when I ask if they require much maintenance to keep their structured shape. “We’ve never […]
Healing herbs
Herbs are used for general wellness and long-term health support. With their natural healing properties and wellbeing benefits, here are four medicinal plants and herbs you can grow in your own backyard. Chamomile Popular as an evening tea due to its relaxation and stress-relieving benefits, chamomile is also anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic, making it […]
Behind Christchurch’s best gardens – Green Giant
Owner-led, locally trusted: the craft behind thriving Christchurch gardens. Behind many of Christchurch’s most beautifully planted gardens is horticulturalist Nathan Neath (pictured), a craftsman with deep plant knowledge and over two decades of experience. As the owner of Green Giant Gardens, Nathan brings international expertise including training with the United Kingdom’s Royal Horticultural […]
Water you doing this summer?
As the sun’s heat reaches its summertime high, how will you keep your garden quenched? To satisfy your garden while saving water, try these four tricks. 1. Use mulch Putting mulch around the base of plants in your garden, or even in pots, helps to retain moisture. A variety of organic matter can […]
Blades of glory
As temperatures rise and the treadmill is traded for outdoor wanders, what will your neighbours feel as they stroll past your lawn? Admiration and envy? Pity? If you’re after the former, here’s your spring lawncare guide. Rake and weed: Removing thatch (dead grass, dry vegetation and plant matter) and lifting weeds from your […]
Christmas dinner countdown
Celebrating at home this year and want to showcase your home harvest on the dinner table? Here are four classic crops to plant now – that will prove their worth come the festive season. 1. Pumpkins & squash Tasty and versatile, pumpkins are easy to grow and can look the part in your […]
Plant now, pick later
September and October are key months in the Canterbury gardener’s planting calendar. If you’re after a garden of rainbow colour and a fresh, healthy harvest for summer meals and salads, it’s time to get planting. We’ve rounded up the most popular plants to pop in your garden or sow from seed this spring. […]
