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The Garden Diaries: New Zealand in April

April in New Zealand is an awesome time to be in the garden. The days are getting shorter and the nights cooler. Here are some ideas for how to keep your garden looking good this month.

Hero plant this month: Cyclamen

In April, it's all about cyclamen, an excellent indoor plant. 

A member of the Primulaceae family, cyclamen are known for their shapely upturned petals and elegant and long-lasting flowers, which come in a range of colours including white, red, pink and purple. Some are even perfumed.  

For a long-lived plant, keep your cyclamen away from heaters or an open fire. In fact, they thrive in cool temperatures. Don't overwater and place in a spot that gets lots of natural light, so they'll reward with months of blooms.

After flowering, move to a shaded spot. Leave the cyclamen in its pot on its side or plant in the garden.

What else to plant

It's a really good time to put in flowering shrubs such as azaleas. They're hard to beat for their spectacular flowering ability and brilliantly coloured blooms. They're easy to grow and come in a range of sizes from delicate pot lovers to much larger, hardier varieties. Plant in semi shade or morning sun and acidic soil.

Another hardy hero is the camellia. These evergreen shrubs are easy to grow, and some varieties will flower through winter into spring. Plant as a hedge or even a feature.

Upgrade the vegie patch. Consider planting kale, lettuce, spring onions and herbs such as parsley, sage and thyme.

If you've got some room, feijoas and guavas are good options. They're easy to grow and have delicious fruit. Fejoias are an excellent plant for hedging.

Different coloured azaleas in black pots.

Maintenance

Autumn is all about replenishing and replanting tired garden beds. Start by lifting and dividing overgrown perennials. Clip back any that need it and remove dead leaves.  

Think about planting a green manure crop using lupins. Just before flowering, dig them into the soil. This will improve the soil and add nitrogen.

Prune any nectarines, peaches and plums that have finished fruiting. Remove any dead or diseased branches.

Strawberries are putting out runners. These develop roots and produce a new plant, so trim them off and pot them up ready for planting in winter.

A person spreading granular fertiliser by hand.

Harvest

This month is also a chance to keep harvesting fresh produce. Beans are ready, as are beetroot, carrots, celery, chillies, lettuce, marrows and peas. Pick rhubarb as well as grapes, Chilean guava, pears and walnuts.

Make the most of the magical autumn days and get out into your garden this weekend.

Fruit and veg, includig carrots, chillies and beans, piled up on a wooden outdoor table.

Our Perfect Plant Promise

Remember the Perfect Plant Promise. All our plants (except seedlings) are guaranteed for 12 months. If you're not 100 per cent happy, return your plant (with receipt or tax invoice) and we'll refund it.

Start planting today

Check out the wide range of plants available at your local Bunnings and bring your garden to life.

 


Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer.