Each on the last weekend of October, our local Kerikeri Rotary group hold an annual garden ‘safari’ featuring some of Kerikeri’s finest gardens.

This year we both a little apprehensive as being one of the featured gardens as we have some impressive gardens hidden amongst the orchard shelter belts, or with commanding views across the Bay of Islands inlet area.

Typically we don’t emerge from the Villa out into the gardens until the first genuine signs of spring

It’s also a lot of work! Typically we don’t emerge from the Villa out into the gardens until the first genuine signs of spring, which is towards the end of September. However that’s a bit late to get onto of all the pruning, winter weeds and then planting annuals so the gardens are at their best at the end of October.

But we did it: mid August saw us out weeding like mad, and we had all our hibiscus, vireyas and anything deciduous pruned by the month’s end.  We started plantings new seedlings in early September.  We took a short break to the islands (Rarotonga) at the end of Sepember, and those relentless spring weeds kept us busy on our return from mid October.

Was it worth it?  We’ll let you be the judge.  We can truely say that all that work will keep the gardens in great shape for the rest of summer.