Plants by Purpose

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Every plant in the garden can do more than just look beautiful - it can serve a purpose. By growing plants for specific roles e.g. hedges for privacy, climbers for height, ground covers that keep weeds at bay, purposeful planting can transform a garden into a functional, maintainable space.

Favourite flowers for summer pots

Summer brings an exciting array of colourful flowering container plants to dress up outdoor spaces. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by so many options, but these traditional and modern day stand-outs are sure to please.

How to 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.

Bringing flowers indoors - Sally's tips

By planting a diversity of flowers that bloom at different times of year, you can pick flowers for indoors and to give away, all year round.

Grasses - texture in motion

Fine, silky strands that shimmer in the sun and sway in the breeze bring unique character and movement to the garden.

Lavenders for hedges and edges

Defining borders and boundaries with flowers adds seasonal interest and helps our pollinators. Buxus certainly has its place as a low garden hedge, but why not push the boundaries a little and get creative with colour?

Foliage in focus

Flowers are not the only attention seekers in the garden. Playing with foliage is a delightful and powerful way to bring visual drama into any planting scheme.

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.

Swing into Spring

Unleash your creativity - it’s time to get potty about pots and hanging baskets!

Cool classic

A bit like the black dress, the ‘white garden’ has a crisp elegance that never goes out of fashion. Its quiet simplicity comes to life in shady areas and at night when the flowers shine out in the moonlight.

Living art

When an evergreen shrub is sculpted into an interesting or architectural shape, it takes on the role of a garden statue, a focal point or accent amid the free flow forms of grasses or perennials. In the middle of winter, an evergreen can create a real point of interest while flowers are sleeping.

Bright sparks

Contrasting textures of green on green is key to creating a fantastic all season garden. And a splash of variegated foliage is like turning the lights on, especially on dull winter days.

Designing with flowers

In spring the garden seems effortlessly, irrepressibly beautiful. Every day there is something new as seedlings sprout, new foliage unfurls and flowers pop out all over the place. Some flowers peak early, others continue for weeks, even months.