Natalie’s Garden Blog – July 2025

The winter solstice (21 June) is behind us – it’s never too early to start anticipating spring!

As I write this it’s raining again and the 17^th century nursery rhyme “Rain Rain Go Away, Come again another day…” seems very apt.

Winter rain, frosts and planning for spring gardening

Winter rain is good for our gardens. Here in Kapiti our sandy soils ensure we don’t need to worry about the rain compacting our soils.  Rain breaks down organic matter encouraging plant growth, and picks up nutrients as it moves through our soil taking them down to plant roots. And finally, many pests and diseases don’t like the cooler and wetter conditions, and will not thrive.

We’ve had some frosty mornings which have turned into lovely blue sky days encouraging us to potter in our gardens, and to start thinking about spring. Frosts are good at discouraging over-wintering of pests and diseases, and some plants (Peony, Hellebore) and many bulbs need the cooler temperature for future blooms. Tulips and Hyacinths in particular benefit from winter fridge chilling.

Winter is also a perfect time to start planning for your spring gardening. Are there aspects of your garden that you don’t like? Is there over-crowding in parts of your garden? Are there unhappy plants that need to be moved? Gaps that need to be filled? Would you like a garden path? What would you like your spring colour palette to be? There’s plenty to ponder, or even just dream about! Make some notes and start planning now.

There’s much to like about the winter garden. Plants that bravely flower, often with a scent. It’s a perfect time to plant Daphne, Cyclamen, Camellia, Bergenia, Hostas and Wintersweet.

Cyclamen and Daisy adding colour to the winter garden

Explore local parks, gardens and reserves

It’s easy to hibernate in winter particularly when it’s wet. The rain radar on my phone has become a new best friend, even when very occasionally I still manage to get wet on my daily walks! It’s a great time to explore local parks and gardens especially when they’re a little quieter. I have no favourites, they all have their own unique identities which I love. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

·      Barry Hadfield Nikau Reserve just north of Paraparaumu

·      Te Roto Wetland Reserve access via Gandalf Crescent Playground

·      Kaitawa Reserve off Kaitawa Crescent, Parapaumu

·      Otaraua Park, Lancelot Grove, Otaihanga

·      Queen Elizabeth Park access from Paekakariki or Raumati South

·      Reikorangi Reserve, Waikanae

·      Waimanu Lagoons Reserve, Tutere Street Waikanae

The fresh air, exercise, spotting new plants and chats with fellow walkers you come across is good for the soul. Wrap up and reward yourself afterwards with a hot drink!

Flowers in my garden

Wander around your garden and appreciate winter flowering plants. This month Camellia and Cyclamen caught my eye. I love collecting pots and planting them up with flowers and colour that reflects the changing seasons. When bulbs like the Cyclamen below finish flowering I will move them to a sheltered, dry spot where they can recharge. There’s something very satisfying about appreciating their endeavours, and swapping them out for new season flowers while knowing you’ll be able to enjoy them again.

Above left: Camellia sasanqua – provides gorgeous colour with a more slender and less vigorous growth habit

Above right: Potted cyclamen – so many colours to choose from and some are strongly scented

This month’s gardening gems:

·      Finish pruning roses and hydrangeas

·      Rake leaves and add to your garden to create mulch.

·      Watch out for flower seedlings when you weed

·      Transplant, or plant new trees and shrubs

·      Plant winter veggies such as brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, parsnips, broccoli, celery, parsley and spinach

·      Invest in some good waterproof gardening boots and gloves

·      Clean and sharpen gardening tools

·      Divide up perennials

·      Plant up your outdoor plant pots with spring/summer flowers

·      Plant shrubs for winter colour

·      Plant new rose bushes

·      Don’t overwater indoor houseplants

·      Reward yourself with a hot cuppa after gardening!

Thanks for reading July’s garden blog. Look out for the Botanical Art Worldwide 2025 Our plants – past, present and Future “Linking people to plants through botanical art” – Wellington Botanical Gardens, 1 Aug-30th September 2025. This year’s theme is crop diversity: heritage crops, crop wild relatives and ancient crops https://www.botanicalartworldwide.info/new-zealand/

Natalie Quirke

Garden designer

Dip Hort, Dip Hort Mgt, NDH