Garden project steps

I make a barrel pond with New Zealand native pond plants and there are already visitors!

Updating the actions on the project plan for the year ahead. The ultimate garden to-do list.

Flowering plants are going into the flower beds and borders, ready for spring. I also take a road trip to see a very special nursery.

After a month of work we have new garden beds and cleared borders. Bring on spring!

Why winter gardening is not recommended. The heavy work to expand the butterfly garden means getting muddy.

Our not quite Insta-worthy dead hedge and definitely not butterfly worthy nettle bed is constructed

We finally plant trees in the garden - one each for our children - but with no placentas to plant underneath, we improvise.

The lomandra is finally gone, but there is plenty still to dig up.

Wasps. Why they are a big deal and what we can do, if anything, to get rid of the evil things.

English style flower gardens around Auckland to get inspiration from for my butterfly garden

I want to choose native plants that belong in this habitat, but I need to plant for erosion as well. Why I'm a native plant hypocrite.

Every wildlife garden needs water, but its going to take a lot more work until I get it right.

I fail to grow flowers from seed so I go plant shopping! Then I need to plant everything.

New Zealand has a range of native nettles, which admiral butterflies need for food and which I'm incapable of growing.

How I found out what introduced predators are in my garden and why they are a problem.

Lomandra defeats all the planning and clearing the site for the butterfly garden stalls

The garden is filled with pest plants and we needed help. I also manage to talk butterflies, 'cos that's how I roll.

Step 2 of the project plan is to monitor moths and butterflies. Each month I trap moths to see what's nearby.

I write a project plan and bioblitz the garden. I rave about iNaturalist.

Introduction to the garden & planned projects for butterflies & wildlife. Start reading here.