Landscape Designer Blog New Zealand

Composting is an excellent way to re- incorporate garden waste (leaves fallen from deciduous trees, kitchen waste, and garden trimmings etc.) back into the garden from which it came. Tiger worms are the best kind of composting worm to introduce into your compost pile or bins. With the addition of a hand full of lime from time to time, sprinkle and spread out over the surface of your compost pile. This will encourage the worms to feed more as they like the lime and will be encouraged to eat more to get to the lime. The addition of top soil occasionally will also help introduce healthy bacteria and organisms into your compost, also promoting faster composting. An easy, economical way to start your own worm farm is to gather several polystyrene boxes, stack them on top of each other with a Hessian sack between each layer. Fill the boxes with organic mixture as described above and add some worms and let them turn your waste into worm castings, a prime nutritional addition to your garden.

Project no. 257. West Auckland Residence. Auckland, North Island, New Zealand. Stage 1. Landscape consultation / client brief. This site shows all the signs of a poorly designed entrance way with little imagination, no plantings, drab colours, and a definite need for landscape design. Brick homes with concrete driveways are never very aesthetically pleasing, so clearly the client wishes to achieve an entranceway that will welcome visitors with vibrancy, colour, sound and movement. Client requirements- Low maintenance gardens are desired by the client. Native plant varieties are to be incorporated in the landscape design. The addition of strategic garden lighting, up-lights on the feature tree, and pathway enhancement with down-lights. An attractive, bold, highly auditory water feature that will be accented with outdoor lighting in the evening. Stage 2. Concept Plans and sketches. The landscape designer has measured the site at the time of consultation, from here the design process can ...

Preliminary concept sketch. NZLANDSCAPES.COM Landscape designer, Auckland. New Zealand landscaping and gardening specialists.

When planting vegetable crops or annuals as seedlings you can protect young plants from snail and caterpillar attack by using a collar to protect young plants made from a piece of PVC pipe or a plastic drink bottle with the ends cut off. Place around young plants. For severe snail attack it is recommended to use snail bait or snail traps. A large glass jar placed in the gound with a hole in the plastic lid large enough to allow snails inside jar, add a small amount of beer in the jar and the snails can not resist falling into the jar.

In its natural habitat this beautiful epiphyte can reach sizes that are truly amazing. Usually found growing on trees, this plant can also be found on tree ferns and almost anywhere they can find a perch. Shade and moisture loving, these fine specimens can also be grown to great sizes in most urban gardens. Requiring mostly shade, Staghorn/Platycerium bifurcatum can be found growing in many diverse situations within the urban environment. In Fern tunnels, pergolas, patios, along the shaded side of the house, under taller more mature trees and Tree ferns. Great on a plain Ponga wall. Can be used to bring a part of the tropics into any garden that is reasonably well protected from frosts. Platycerium bifurcatum is the variety more suited to lower humidity conditions, including indoor growth and will tollerate temperatures down to 10.c

Staghorn. Platycerium bifurcatum. Garden ideas for New Zealand. This photo was taken on Norfolk Island where the epiphyte had secured itself to a tree fern.

Where possible mulch all gardens with a good healthy layer of mulch. 100-150mm is a good mulch thickness to help plant growth and health through winter. Organic mulch is best, compost, bark, straw and mushroom compost are all excellent mulch materials. Woven plant mats and wed mats are also available, giving total weed suppression and soil protection from frost these options also have advantages of their own.

Heuchera'Chocolate Ruffles' seems to be best grown in organic, rich, humus soil. Soil conditions lean toward medium wet, well-drained. Plant Heuchera 'Chocoalte Ruffles' in full sun to part shade. Does very well in full sun but will resist only short periods of dry weather so does prefer part shade (particularly with afternoon shade) in areas that have a hot summer. It is found that best foliage colour will be gained by growing in light to part shade. If grown in full sun, plenty of moisture is needed and soil should not be allowed to dry out for too long. Remove finished flower panicles to encourage continued blooming. Mulch applied during winter will help prevent root heaving. Best to divide clumps in spring every 3-4 years.

Heuchera'Chocolate Ruffles'

Turtle sculpture looks over the Waikato River. Chinese Garden. Hamilton Gardens, Waikato, New Zealand.

Hamilton Gardens covers an area of 58 hectares on a site, once used as the local council dumping area, includes the Hamilton East Cemetery , Municipal Nursery and Polytechnic grounds. Development of the area alongside Cobham Drive , now known as the Victorian Flower Garden, began in the early 1950s and still provides annual bursts of colour and exquisite scent to many enthusiasts. More current development at Hamilton Gardens has been undertaken by pupils of the Polytechnic, council workers and volunteers since the early 1980s. Some minor garden development started in the early 1960's and the Rogers Rose Garden was made in 1971 but most development has occurred since 1982. Today Hamilton Gardens is the most popular visitor attraction in the region with about 600,000 visitors each year. There are nearly 2000 events held within Hamilton Gardens each year. The unique theme of Hamilton Gardens is 'the story of gardens' which is explored through a series of ...

Chinese Garden.Hamilton Gardens, Waikato, New Zealand. Photos NZLANDSCAPES.COM.

Chinese Garden. Hamilton Gardens, Waikato, New Zealand

Chinese Garden. Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, New Zealand. Landscape design ideas nz.

English Theme Garden. Hamilton Gardens, Waikato, New Zealand.

Views of the Waikato River from Hamilton Gardens. North Island, New Zealand.

Sculpture. Hamilton Gardens. Nz Landscaping ideas.

Italian Renaissance Garden. Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, New Zealand. Landscaping ideas for New Zealand landscapers and landscape designers. NZ.

Italian Renaissance garden, Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, New Zealand. Landscaping features are bold in this garden with some VERY large urns to hold attention.

Italian Renaissance garden, Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, New Zealand.

Large water feature. Italian Renaissance Garden. Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, New Zealand.

Italian Renaissance garden. Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, New Zealand.

Bride awaits her wedding. Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, New Zealand. Landscaping ideas nz.

Zen garden, Oriental gardens. Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, New Zealand. Landscape design ideas and photos.

Sculptured trees, Oriental gardens. Hamilton Gardens, Waikato, New Zealand.

Reflection pond. Oriental gardens. Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, landscaping ideas New Zealand.

Zen garden. Oriental gardens. Hamilton Gardens. Waikato, New Zealand. New Zealand Landscape design ideas.

Landscape designers and garden enthusiasts merge together at the Ellerslie Flower Show each year in Auckland, New Zealand. Together they join to experience New Zealand music, wine and food culture along with the possibility to gain knowledge of new products that are now available in the landscape arena, new landscape design elements showcased by experienced landscape designers as well as new and up in coming landscape designers showing the landscape elite they can be as cutting edge as any of the established landscapers. Our Designers were there to capture some of the sights of the Ellerslie Flower Show in 2004-2005 and are excited to see some of the truly unusual landscape design along side classically influenced formal landscape design. Links to Ellerslie Flower Show website: www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz/

Ellerslie Flower Show. Glass flowers. Landscaping ideas for New Zealand.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit. Fascinating use of glass and lighting. Bold landscape screens to control views.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit. Modern styling.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit. Woven basket. Landscaping ideas Auckland New Zealand.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit. Copper Sculpture.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibitor. Landscape sculture. NZ.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibitor.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit.

THE TERMINATOR. Ellerslie Flower Show exhibitor Marti Wong, with outstanding tallent and workmanship, Marti is breaking new ground for New Zealand sculptors. NZLANDSCAPES.COM Garden Article.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibitor Marti Wong, TERMINATOR.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibitor Marti Wong. Dinosaur sculpture.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit. Eagle Sculpture.

EAGLE SCULPTURE. Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibit. Shining Dinosaur Sculpture.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibitor Marti Wong.

Ellerslie Flower Show exhibitor Marti Wong. Link to 2005-6 Ellerslie Flower Show website: www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz

Tourism New Zealand 100% Pure New Zealand - Ora Garden of well-being. Gardening Ideas, Landscaping Dreams.

Ellerslie Fower Show exhibit. Ora Garden. Tourism NZ Garden. Ellerslie/ Chelsea Flower Show.

Tourism New Zealand 100% Pure New Zealand - Ora Garden of well-being. Photography by NZLANDSCAPES.COM.

Views toward Tauranga from private residence, Onemana, Coromandel, New Zealand. Landscape photos, New Zealand images.

Views towards Mayor Island from private residence, Onemana, Coromandel, New Zealand landscape photos.

Vista view. Private residence, Titirangi, Auckland, New Zealand. Landscape photos of New Zealand.

View over Waiheke Island from Te Whau Vineyard. NZLANDSCAPES photos.

Views back to Auckland CBD from Te Whau Vineyard / Restaurant, Waiheke Island, New Zealand. Landscape photos. NZLANDSCAPES.COM.

Sunset, Onemana beach, Coromandel, New Zealand. Landscape photos by NZLANDSCAPES.COM.