03/07/2026
Right plant right place – choosing plants for our climate
How did your garden fare in the storm? We’ve seen plenty of damage in New Plymouth from the winds. Last month I’d luckily removed a couple overgrown Magnolia teddy bear trees that were uncomfortably close to the house. It’s sad cutting down a healthy tree, but those crazy winds are a reminder that the best policy is right plant, right place – choose plants that can tolerate the conditions and keep to a manageable size. In our temperate Taranaki climate, plants can get big fast, and it’s very labour intensive and expensive to keep them under control.
If you’d like help freshening up your garden let me know. And here’s a tip – coastal natives are well suited for our climate and easy to maintain. Think Manuka, Coprosmas, various sizes of flaxes, native tussocks and shrubs like Corokia, Griselenia, and Pittosporums.