bookemjano

Right, got round to doing the gardening now, got 'Gardening for Dummies' and I'm still perplexed. Got my trusty Yates' for Christmas - no pictures! How the &#$*! do I know what to pull up without pictures? Only had a little yard and a couple of hanging baskets in the UK!

So I've pulled up everything I don't like the look of. Front garden is suddenly looking a bit bald. Oops. Think I got a bit carried away. So I quickly need help before the next visit from the landlady.

So, karma to anyone who can post pictures of what I should be losing and what I should be keeping. And pictures of beautiful gardens to give me inspiration.

Ok with the veggies, have got capsicums, orangeberries, lemons, tomatoes and strawberries on the go, it's the weeds and natives that are puzzling me. Also, got a grapevine running away with itself, so if that produces good enough stuff there's also a free glass of plonk later in the year for you cyber gardeners.

sky

Are they red grapes, we had loads in our rental when we first arrived and they were delicious just to eat. We had too many and were having to give them away in huge carrier bags to everyone and anyone in the end so as not to waste.

livewire

OK. Lots of citrus trees - these grow very well in tubs but you'll have to feed them quite a lot, try the usual oranges, lemons and limes, mandarins, grapefruits, seville oranges etc. When they all bloom in the spring the fragrance is heavenly. Jf you look after them well you'll get fruit and flowers at the same time and there's nothing like fresh lime juice on your Thai curry.

sky

I think we have a bay tree in our garden, it looks like one and smells like one but is huge and bushy. I'm only used to seeing them in a packet lol. I'm going to have to ask our elderly next door neighbour I think, she seems to know what she's doing.

cottageinthesky

One of our elderly kiwi acquaintances puts down sprigs of bay leaves to repel ants - don't know if that's a kiwi thing, hadn't heard of it before - have to admit it doesn't seem to work that well, as the ants come back - but then maybe they'd be there all the time if the bay leaves weren't there!

cottageinthesky

Gardeners love talking about their gardens - why not pick a great looking garden, knock on the door, compliment them on the garden and ask for advice - good way to get to know your neighbours! Gardeners also love to pass on cuttings, thinnings, etc. - could save you a fortune!

pixi-dust

we have a lot of lavender in our garden and it is gorgeous and the smell is amazing ( if you like it!)

When we moved in I was given the advice that its your garden now so do what you want. If you dont like the look of something get rid of it. Then just plant what you like. I have been working so hard on ours - it was all there when we arrived but under about three tonnes of weeds. I discovered a huge amount of really lovely things, but it was hard work.
We also have fushias - very stunning and amazing colours. I'll try to remember to take some close up pics today.
An orchard with plums, apples and peaches which are thriving, loads of citrus, raspberries, strawberries, loads of veggies that we planted and are managing to eat now - nothing like going out to your own garden and picking a courgette! its such fun.
The best thing we bought is this huge book with lots of pictures in it - I'll look out the name for you.

Buzzy--Bee

I tried to grow all my own veg when I lived in NZ as I couldn't stomach paying £2 for a cucumber etc etc

Needless to say the lack of sun and constant rain (lived on the West Coast, though I don't honestly think the weather there is that different to the rest of NZ) meant that the only things that grew were radishes and potatoes.

Sorry, didn't mean to turn this thread into an "everything in NZ is expensive and the weather is crap" rant but this is a true story!!!!

Cheers

Buzzy

bookemjano

Thanks for everyone's help! If anyone wants to turn up with a trowel they'd be more than welcome. Might have a bring your own spade party.

We tore up the veg patch last night, had a great time (amazing what energy you get from a couple of bottles of beer and Bob Marley playing), then stopped when we found a complete cat collar .... :scared: :scared: Think we'll carry on with that patch when the kids are out.

Today's job is cleaning out the pond. Yuk! No fish, just loads of dead snails and slime. Still rather do that than try and find the dead cat though!

pixi-dust

Ok, have just been out, camera in hand, braving the sand flies ( thats why some are out of focus!)
The Ultimate Plant Book - Bateman is the book - its not ultimate, though, but does have a lot of information.


out of focus fushia (bad sand flies)


fushia yet to open


Lavender bush


Lily


pohutakawa and sort of thistle things - very lovely, but prickly as anything.

pixi-dust

second batch


close up pohutakawa


lovely - no idea what it is!


a rose


succulent doing really well



nice - might be a magnolia of some sort???


wisteria - on its second coming!

sky

Hi Jan, if you can't face doing the garden yourself I think you can hire gardeners fairly cheaply here. Not as fun I admit but if it's a rental it might take the pressure off you.
Our rental when we first got here had a huge garden and because I'd never ever rented before I never thought anything of it, but we had to keep it really tidy to get our bond back and it was back breaking work, I was soon wishing we'd rented somewhere with a small garden.

livewire

That prickly thing is an Echium, they come in various forms.

The book I use is called "The Complete New Zealand Gardener - A practical Guide" by Geoff Bryant and Eion Scarrow. It is a good source of information on NZ native plants as well as all the old favourites.