Here in the Waikato, if you choose the right varieties, you can eat citrus fresh from the tree all year round. At our place, mandarin ‘Silverhill’ is the first to ripen in April, and by August the glowing colours of tangelos, limes, grapefruit and lemonades light up the garden.

To avoid damage (which can attract the lemon tree borer), always harvest your citrus fruit with secateurs. Citrus trees provide their own storage system… the fruit keeps better on the tree than in the fruit bowl. So just pick as you need them.

Summer fruit really brightens up dark winter days. From bottled plums to grape juice and even dried watermelon, the colours, flavours and goodness of summer are keeping us nourished through the cold. We looked back on a hectic harvest season in May's Urban and Country. View online or email us for a copy.

Most people like to grow grass lawns, and growing grass is a bit like growing veggies in your veggie garden. They both like to have soil which is rich in nutrients and well decomposed organic matter, as well as plenty of sunshine.

If your lawn has a prickle problem, its very easy to sort this now. Prickly Onehunga weed (Soliva sessilis) can be organically eradicated by simply letting the grass grow taller for 2 months in early spring, when the seeds of Onehunga weed are trying to germinate.

Misty mornings, damp grass and muddy boots mark the last weeks of planting time. Cool weather and moist soil make July the best month for planting just about anything. Although chilly, short days may not be so agreeable for us gardeners, the rewards of winter planting are worth the discomort: weeds are weak and the ground is easy to dig... in all but the wettest areas. Fruit trees, roses, ornamentals and restoration natives will settle in with minimal stress, in plenty of time to send out strong, deep roots to cope with dry weeks ahead. Read our winter planting tips here, or email us for a copy.

A walking path should meander, take in views and allow enjoyment of the secluded corners of your garden. Often the steepest and most difficult to reach parts of a property have the potential to become the most spectacular and enjoyable.This is especially true of the many streams and gullies connected to the Waikato river which are usually inaccessible without some track building. This track was built by GreenFootprint in a beautiful Hamilton gully. If you'd like to read some of our tips on designing and building tracks and garden paths read more here or email us for a copy.

Compost is not only gardener's gold, it's also easy to make. Read the full story online or email us for a copy.

Children are natural explorers, and time spent discovering and helping in the garden can be the beginning of a life long journey. We say the key to a child friendly backyard lies in using your five senses. Read the full story online, or email us for a copy.

Flowers are not a luxury! Read February’s Urban and Country for our tips on growing beautiful flowers and foliage to fill your vases.