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Designing for drier days

With water restrictions likely to be part of the north island landscape for some time to come, the thought of investing in a new garden can be a little nerve wracking. But with a little bit of design input, you can still create a beautiful garden that will better handle drier conditions as weather patterns change. Of course there is a myriad of hardware out there to make life easier in the garden and irrigation systems with additional features like rain sensors are certainly becoming more popula...

Tips for keeping your garden hydrated (without breaking the law!)

Photo by Elizabeth Explores on UnsplashWith hose-pipe bans a week away in Auckland, we are hoping that Mother Nature will soon take over chief irrigation responsibilities but there are a few things you can do to keep your garden in good shape over the coming months. When rain is forecast, create a little catchment area using watering cans, large saucepans and bowls or any trugs, empty drums or big storage containers you have around the house.  When it does rain, pop your indoor plants outsi...

Simple steps for winter-ready roses

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash You might notice your roses are looking a tad confused at the moment - some are choosing to flower profusely, while others have folded early and headed into winter. Although hard pruning is generally saved for the cooler winter months between July and August, there are still a few things you can do to prepare your roses for a bumper next season! Mulch around your roses generously - they are heavy feeders and like to be nurtured at root level over the cooler mont...

Brew up some Banana Peel Tea for your garden

Did you know that you can make a really easy, all-purpose garden fertiliser from your banana skins?  Just grab a container and soak two or three skins in around 600ml of water for a few days (or you can put about a litre of water in a bucket and just add your banana skins daily).  The minerals will leach into the water and then you can pour this liquid directly onto your plants - no need to dilute.  To complete the cycle, give the soaked peels to your worms or add it to your compo...

Gardening tips for an Easter staycation

While Easter weekend often involves a mad dash to the garden store, this year we’ve come up with a few easy ways to show your garden some love, without heading out at all. Mulch & cover vegetable beds - if you have seedlings ready to go then it’s time to pop these in the ground. However, if you have been caught short, then this is not wasted time! Just remove any tired crops from your vegetable beds, then cover them in a generous layer of mulch or compost (or even just layer cardboard on top...

5 ways to use coffee grinds in your garden

Since it is likely our home caffeine consumption is going to soar over the next little while, we thought it might be handy to have some quick tips on what to do with those used coffee grinds in the garden. Just remember to give the grinds a really loose mix in with the soil, and spread the drop-off points around your garden so you don’t over-acid one patch by accident! Specific treatments - sprinkle around the roots of acid-loving plants (blue hydrangea, azalea, camellia and roses will all enj...

Happiness is pottering in the garden

We have been sharing tips with our locked-down customers who want to keep their gardens looking gorgeous until their next Kate & Co. visit! And we thought why not share some of their questions (and our advice) with you all…. Help! How do I get rid of a rat in the compost?  While it’s always nice to have a hand in the garden, a rat in the compost is a clear exception for most of us.  A combination of chilli flakes and coffee grinds mixed through the compost should do ...

Hellebores - the roses of winter

"So are these weeds? They don’t seem to do much. Do you want to just pull them out?" That is generally how the conversation goes around Hellebores. And to be honest when they are not flowering they are certainly ‘subtle’ in colour and texture. BUT in mid winter, when everything else in the garden is looking tired, these guys take the stage.And boy do they do their bit for a winter garden! Fondly known as 'Winter Roses' Hellebores flower profusely in the garden when not much else is doing a...

Street frontage that goes with the flow

When you have a strip of plantable space out front of your home, knowing what to plant can feel overwhelming.  A wander up and down your street will give you a good feel for how your neighbours have approached things and is also a great way to get a sense of what is likely to grow well (and what isn't - usually plenty of examples there too!) Hedging is a great option for many owners as it creates a clean, uniform street frontage. Griselinia, Michelia, Bay Laurel etc can all work a treat. Bu...

Awesome planting options for shared spaces

Shared spaces offer some great options for well thought through planting.  This week our team have been reworking a couple of these zones, including apartment shared walkways and school gardens.  These areas are often considered tricky for the following reasons: they are generally high foot-traffic zones shared spaces, by their nature, need to appeal to a broad range of tastes and preferences they generally need to have low maintenance care requirements these spaces are ...

Succulently living walls

On a recent trip to Russell I came across some fantastic looking living walls such as this one decorating the entrance to Hone's Garden (the best summer pizza joint by the way). Living walls are excellent when you have limited space or just want to freshen up blank wall zones. However not all living walls are created equal. Some require a lot of preparation and maintenance to keep looking great. That's why I'm all for succulents if it's your first attempt.  Succulents are extremely low...

Flamingo Gardens

Love them or hate them Flamingos are a garden statement. And while as gardeners we often find them falling apart in the bottom of a garden, with legs missing and beaks askew - I always smile because it tells me this garden has been loved at some point by someone who didn't take life too seriously. To me plastic flamingos symbolise a bit of old school extravagance, a touch of LA kitch flair, eccentricity, quirkiness and fun - oh and in some parts of the world, that you're happy to ...

Hydrangea - the ugly season

We know many of you are feeling depressed about your hydrangeas - especially once we have shown you how to prune them....down to sad little stumps. So I am writing this post to reassure you that although your hydrangeas may currently look like the most depressed plants in the garden, they will return again and deliver x10 fold if you make the harsh cut now.  As you know, I am all about garden simplicity - making garden Rock Stars out of all of you....There are of course much more technical ...

Garden Meditations

Recently we have had the pleasure of working in gardens with some 'hidden spaces' - often referred to as the 'meditation space' they all have one thing in common - escape.  A few minutes in these relaxing spaces can bring calm, clarity and peace of mind. But how do you create one in your garden? Can any garden have one? I say yes.... ...

Become a Rose Guru - without the stress

I think every Gardener probably has a plant they aren't naturally drawn to. For me? It was roses. They can be pretty intimidating things - loads of complicated advice, prone to pests, thorny, growing in weird shapes, lengthy you-tube videos explaining the science of pruning them. I inherited a garden of established Roses and so last season I started an experiment. I wondered if I went about their care as if I knew nothing about these wonders, and just did the basics right, would I still get...

Start now for a Christmas garden to enjoy!

I get it. By the time Christmas rolls around, the garden is not top on your priority list. But at the same, so much of what happens at Christmas time takes place in the garden (think bbq, wines, family photos....) so here are my top tips to making it a space to be proud of. 1. Start Now.Yes you heard me, get on top of those weeds right now. Doesn't matter how you do it, you can start clearing out a little section at a time so it's not an item for the last minute panic list. The nights are longer...

WINNERS!

We are so thrilled to be declared the winners of the Most Outstanding Lifestyle Business Award. For the past decade, The David Awards have been recognising the unsung heroes in home and small businesses throughout New Zealand – the Kiwi Davids taking on the Goliaths of the New Zealand business landscape....

Nominated twice in the David Awards!

Little announcement! We are a finalist in two categories of The David Awards for small biz. Both categories are so key to the vision I have had from Day 1 for Kate the Gardener - focusing on the work / life balance for all my wonderful gardeners and spreading the goodness in giving back to the greater community that looks after us so well. Thanking you all from the bottom of my heart! Kate x...

Testimonial time!

We let our amazing clients do that for us! Here's a selection of the latest reviews and testimonials we've received..."Kate is a wonderful gardener with a great eye, and always delivers! She has sorted out my garden and keeps it in top shape, I highly recommend her services!" "Kate came and made short work of our overgrown grapevine that I hadn't touched for 3 years in fear of killing it. It is now looking so much better for it's prune, and we are looking forward to a great crop of yummy grapes ...

Mini Makeover Reveal

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It's winter: mulch like your life depends on it

Any of you who know me, know I will not shoosh about mulch. In winter it can be life changing. Not only does it make your complete shambles of a garden look less horrific, it does these amazing things:  Minimises weed regrowth so you can spend less time freezing your butt off outsideNurtures and protects the plants like a fur coat in Moscow while they cope through the cold monthsJazzes up the parts of your garden you are forever apologising about. Stop that.Is a cheap way of requiring a gar...

Mini makeover

Tracey hard at work - as always!...