Kem Ormond: Why New Zealand natives deserve more space in our gardens

New Zealand native plants offer gardeners a rich palette of textures, colours, and forms and are well-suited to local conditions.

Keen gardener Kem Ormond makes the case for planting New Zealand natives, with a helpful book recommendation for those starting out.

When travelling overseas, I can’t resist having a look in the odd garden centre that I stumble across.

Cantabria in Spain is one instance where I found a garden centre that stocked a wide selection of New Zealand natives; in fact, they had a large area devoted to only New Zealand natives, mainly pittosporums.

They suit the climate of Cantabria, an area in the northern part of the country, and are a popular choice for hedging.

I find this interesting considering that over 80% of New Zealand’s indigenous plants are found nowhere else.

Until you have planted a native garden, I don’t think some of us appreciate how beautiful New Zealand natives actually are.

They offer gardeners a rich palette of textures, colours, and forms and are well-suited to local conditions.

Once established, most are fairly hardy and will tolerate a lack of water more than a lot of other plants.

One of the most beautiful native species that I have seen is a nikau palm, New Zealand’s only native palm species.

It is in a residential garden in Whanganui, and it must be around 100 years old.

It takes my breath away every time I drive past it.

Some natives have a much shorter life span, become leggy and woody, and eventually need replacing, so careful selection, whether for a town or rural property or for riparian planting, is essential.

An informative book on New Zealand natives, Let’s Go Native, written by Guy Hessell with a foreword by Gordon Collier, is due to be released next month.

In this book, Hessell shares his 20+ years of landscaping experience to provide practical, inspiring advice for incorporating native plants into gardens of every shape, size, and style, from urban courtyards to sprawling rural properties.

His practical advice covers everything you need from weed control to informal and formal planting ideas, fertiliser, irrigation, pruning, and selection, just to name a few.

The photos are inspiring, the tips you will find helpful, and Hessell’s own hand-drawn watercolour planting plans will make planning your own native garden achievable.

“I have drawn the landscape design plans so the reader becomes the client,” Hessell said.

“Even though the plans are not specific to your own house, you will see options that can be adapted to suit your needs.”

With a wealth of practical information, Let’s Go Native will help you visualise the full potential of your own native haven.