Potted Pleasure
If your garden soil is on the heavy side, switch to growing your bulbs in pots. Spring flowering bulbs thrive in pots and are some of the best plants you could choose for container planting. What to plant: Cool climate bulbs: tulips, hyacinths and crocuses. Any-climate bulbs: daffodils, Dutch irises, grape hyacinths and […]
June in the garden
Brr! Winter is officially here, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to hibernate from the garden. In fact, quite the opposite. Now is the time to think of the season ahead. Here are Metropol’s tips for keeping on top of your topiary this June. Clean up stations: As the leaves keep falling in […]
Grow again next year
Following the success of the inaugural Grow Ōtautahi, event organisers have announced 2022 dates for the popular Christchurch Garden Festival. Grow will return to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, with entry still free to everyone, over three days from March 18 to 20 next year. Festival Director Sandi MacRae says excitement is already building around […]
Award-winning rooftop garden
A Christchurch rooftop garden that is small on size but big on innovation won gold at the Registered Master Landscaper awards recently. Natural Habitats installed the roof using an eco-pillow system. Weight is a natural concern when installing a green roof but the eco pillow system is lightweight, requiring no extra structural changes and has […]
Winter Gardening Projects
As we move into winter and dig out the thermal socks, gardening might be the last thing on your mind. It may be chilly outside, but there is still plenty of work to be done in the garden during the winter months. No reason to hole-up indoors. GET LANDSCAPING Colder weather presents the […]
Getting to grips with autumn
Cooler days and nights have arrived and in true autumn form the change in weather patterns is turning the leaves to gold, burgundy and pumpkin before they float gently to the ground. For many avid gardeners that is the signal to snip, prune, compost and plant anew. The compost equation: All those lovely […]
Washing up on produce
As tempting as it may be to bite into a freshly bought apple straight from the bag, it’s long been known produce should be rinsed before consumption.But, just how much washing is required? Visible dirt on your potatoes, the thought of all the hands that have touched your tomatoes and the various sprays used […]
What to do for winter
April is when autumn really gets going. The days are noticeably shorter and night temperatures cooler, so we need to be preparing the garden for winter. Here are Metropol’s tips for what to focus on in your mid-autumn garden. Blooming bulbs Spring bulbs may still be planted now, if space is lacking plant […]
Relaxation Stations
Outdoor living spaces that extend entertaining outdoors have surpassed trend and entered necessity territory in home design. And in 2021, landscape designers are predicting this will go one step further with a rise in relaxation areas – garden escapes which create a feeling of holiday without leaving your property. Outdoor living spaces that […]
Artistic garden additions: Grow Landscapes
A garden is a home’s oasis, it is a tranquil place to experience the art and wonder of nature and science. As industry experts, Grow Landscapes & Lifestyle know all about this – and also stock an impressive and unmatched range of water features and pots to elevate your natural habitat. Bhuddas, urns, […]