Our Land

You can cook with lavender in sweet and savoury dishes, but there is an art to it.

Lavender enthusiast and landscape designer Karen Rhind has crafted a wild and beautiful garden in one of the country’s most inhospitable environments.

You can never have too many sheds, but if your budget doesn’t spring to something that requires a council permit, it is possible to build a garden shed under 10m², the typical size of a shed before you need one.

It’s still officially winter, but there’s plenty to do before the days get longer and warmer.

Use gathered kawakawa to make an all-purpose salve for bites, itches (including eczema), and minor burns and cuts. Although there’s no formal scientific research into kawakawa has been used by Maori for its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory qualities.

If you are missing summer’s salad greens, this is the plant for you.

Winter is a good time to start an espaliered fruit tree. However, some trees adapt better to espalier than others.

Just as the Waitaki River grinds down mountain ranges carrying them in serpentine fashion to the sea, Kate White is an irresistible force changing the face of a small south island town.

Dani Lebo uses her family’s permaculture farm to teach local children about farming, food, fun and taking an element of risk – all outdoors and in all weathers.

Love dahlias? Don’t like the ridiculous prices you can pay for tubers? Here’s how you can increase your stock by forcing tubers to produce early shoots.

There aren't many weeds with as many benefits as blackberry. With a proper weed control strategy, there's no reason not to grow this delicious treat.

Growing veggies hydroponically is the ultimate way to maximise an indoor harvest. this soil-free gardening system is a satisfying way to reap home-grown goodness.

Conserve NZ's waterways and your budget with riparian planting. May to September is the best time for it as the land is generally wetter and plants can become established before next summer. Here's how to get started.

It is impossible to prevent windthrow, but it is possible to reduce the risk to trees, property and life. Some of it comes down to tree choice and some of it comes down to smart planning.

The days are short, but it’s an important time to make plans for spring.

A giant sterile hybrid grass that grows to 4m and looks a bit like bamboo could be the answer to a lot of problems on farms

When Karen Rhind left behind her carefully-maintained Garden of National Significance for bare, dry pasture and a new challenge, she also opened the door to a sweetly-scented business.

Two American environmentalists have turned a run-down campground in Glenorchy into a sustainable development where technology and nature work together.

If power is a problem, gravity may be your best bet for a reliable water supply.

Start planning, planting and prepping your garden now for spring.

If you’re interested in eating more plant protein, a little fermentation can go a long way.

This backyard herb has a colourful history, it was prized by Roman soldiers for its medicinal qualities and used in the 16th Century as a wine additive.

This award-winning organic farmer near Kaipara coast may have hundreds of sheep and cattle, but what she’s really farming is millions and millions of invisible helpers.

Two young Hawkes Bay parents are proud eco-exponents who turned their personal mission into an industrious enterprise. They're helping their little corner of the world go plastic free with beeswax food wraps.

Pugging soil does enormous damage to it, reducing pasture yield by 20-80% for four to eight months, or longer if not remedied. Follow these tips to reduce the amount of pugging this winter.

It’s finally happening. After lots of talk, greener bagging options are set for a checkout near you.

A landscaper with a mini backyard farm believes small-scale food production is key to well-being and urban ecological balance.

New Zealand's first commercial coffee growers share the secrets to growing coffee plants in our temperate climate.

It doesn’t bear fruit, but this little tree will vastly improve your orchard’s productivity.

From garden to posie to plate, scented geraniums are a delight to the senses and fabulous fodder for the experimental gardener/cook.

Posh, Sporty and Scary have nothing on Ginger spice. Brush up on your planting and harvesting skills for this winter.

Good shelterbelt trees are practical, but they can be so much more. Experts from the NZ Tree Crops Association give us their recommendations.

Heating your home using a wood burner is cheaper than ever in New Zealand, if you know how to get the best out of it.

You definitely won’t have eaten as many varieties of apple as a couple who have made it their personal crusade to save the heritage apple trees.