How to Grow

Whether you're starting with a single seed or a store-bought shrub, growing plants is a satisfying process that connects you with nature and rewards you with flowers, food or just something to admire. And anyone can do it! You may want to liven up your apartment with indoor plants, grow your own herbs for cooking, or finally start that vegetable garden you’ve been dreaming about. Learning how to garden is a practical, rewarding skill that anyone can pick up.

Spring bulbs - playing with colour

Autumn is planting time for spring flowering bulbs. Daffodils, hyacinths and snowdrops brighten the scene as early as July. Tulips soon follow in very early spring, as do bluebells, freesias and grape hyacinths.

Salsa! The sweet & spicy of the summer garden

As mid summer heat intensifies, the vegetable garden is a riot of abundance with fresh food to pick every day. Sweet corn and peppers thrive in this warmth.

Blueberries - grow your own super food

Blueberries are very high in antioxidants and vitamins. The health benefits attributed to these tasty little fruits cover everything from bone strength, skin health, blood pressure, and cancer prevention, to mental health and more.

Go nuts!

Just as home grown fruit and veges offer savings, convenience and monumental health benefits, so it is with nuts. They’re a concentrated source of protein and energy, packed with minerals, vitamins and cancer-fighting anti-oxidants, especially if they’re home grown.

Home harvest apples

From March to May apple trees all around the country are laden with colourful ripening fruit. Meanwhile it’s time to get planning and planting. Apples and other deciduous fruit trees arrive in garden centres in autumn and early winter.

Lawn seed - fit for purpose

Whether the backyard needs a facelift or you’re starting from scratch with a brand new lawn, autumn is a great time to take action. The road to success starts with choosing the right lawn seed. Start by asking yourself some basic questions.

Lawn love

Warm spring rains encourage lush green growth - spring on its own is a tonic for lawns! But a little extra pampering before summer sets in makes it easier to keep a lawn looking lovely through the hottest months.

Growing fruit trees in containers

If your soil is fertile and well-drained, fruit trees grow best when planted in the ground. But when good garden soil isn’t available, growing fruit in containers makes good sense, especially if you plan on taking them with you when you move house or if you have limited space.

Sun lovers

Could this be your summer to grow the biggest, the tallest and the brightest flower in the garden? Sow some sunflower seeds now and see how fast they grow!

Wildflowers

Rachel Weston (Real Gardener article 'A sense of wonder') loves the kaleidoscope of colours she gets from her ‘messy wildflowers’. It’s her favourite way to achieve a beautiful flower and bee filled garden that fits in with her busy life.

Prunus - beauty and abundance

Spring blossom, dappled shade, summer fruit, autumn colour and elegant form - there is much to love about the vast and varied trees of the plant genus, Prunus.

Summer stone fruit

Winter is action time for summer fruiting trees

Tomatoes your way

Sun-warmed and fragrant, nothing beats the taste of home-grown tomatoes - and the unbeatable freshness when it’s only minutes from garden to plate.

Fresh start

For good health and great taste, the very best greens are the ones we pick fresh from the garden. Salad leaves are the easiest of vegetables to grow.

Hedges - go local

Great foliage, great form and adaptability to local growing conditions are key prerequisites for a successful hedge, which is why New Zealand natives rate among the very best for kiwi gardens.

Pears

Planting a pear tree is an investment in both beauty and bounty

Space saving apples

Apples that grow vertically on compact columns open a realm of exciting possibilities for creative gardeners.

Feijoas - a Kiwi favourite

Feijoas are a unique and beloved fruit in New Zealand. They are easy to grow, yielding plenty of fruit from autumn to early winter. The distinctive bright red flowers appear at Christmas, adding their own charm to the garden.

Fruit trees for small spaces

The joy of home grown fruit isn’t only for large backyards and lifestyle blocks. Thanks to today’s dwarf fruit trees, a tiny garden (or a few large pots) can be surprisingly fruitful - for most of the year.

Cool weather classics

As the days get shorter it makes sense to bring nature closer, making the most of potted plants in and around the home. Bursting onto the scene in autumn with their bright clear colours and stunning flower forms, cyclamen are highlights of the season, both indoors and out.

Autumn is for alliums

It’s planting time for all members of the onion family. Easy to grow alliums include the fat golden vege staple and all the other onion flavoured herbs and vegetables. There is an allium for every taste and something for every size of garden or pot.

Spring fling - time to plant tulips

Tulips love cool weather, but with new varieties, they will grow in milder regions too, making it easier than ever to have tulips just about anywhere!

A cucumber a day

Munching on a cucumber which is 95% water, is a tasty way to stay well-hydrated in summer, aiding weight loss with a good measure of fibre, vitamins and minerals without the calories.

Legionnaires' disease

Gardening is a popular pastime enjoyed by thousands of New Zealanders, helping people relax and escape the stresses of life. It provides enjoyment and exercise.