Drinking or giving Ata Rangi’s Crimson Pinot supports Project Crimson and cleverly combines two of my personal great loves into one activity. Ata Rangi makes some of the best red wine I’ve ever tasted. As a former bar manager, I’ve tasted a lot of wine – and I love Ata Rangi. Help support Project Crimson‘s […]
Always looking for new and novel ways to garden and eat, I’m thrilled to have found these great kits fromMushroom Gourmet. Complete with really good instructions and everything you need to be growing these little blighters. I’ll let you know in about 2 weeks just how fabulous this kit is. Yum, I can’t wait! I’m […]
Beautiful botanical and bird prints on teatowels or t-shirts would make a wonderful gift for the plant lover in your life. This very talented Kiwi lass prints strong images of NZ native plants and birds to make striking pieces. I think she’s choice! Melina Martin Prints
This is so much better then having piles of plastic plants pots cluttering the garden shed. Make individual seedling pots from recycled newspapers when you need them with this great little set. Paper planter maker from the EcoStore
One of my botany heroes is Tony Foster. He’s been studying, caring for, guiding through and teaching about the New Zealand bush for over 30 years. I’m sure that this long-awaited book will be brimming with the same kind of quality content and beautiful images that his Bushman’s Friend blog and native plants site has […]
I know they have a weird name but these big, bright flexible tubs are so damned useful and good-looking that I’ll take three, please. Not only can a Gubba tubtrug carry everything around the garden but when the day is over you can fill it with ice and use it as an attractive champagne or […]
It’s the time of year for list-making – lists for Christmas, lists for 2008, lists for 2009, lists, lists, lists. And of course it’s time for gifts, gifts, gifts. So my natural inclination has been to combine the two and get all festive. We’ll be looking at one a day in an attempt to solve […]
You can tell that summer and the festive season are here. It’s difficult to miss with the tell-tale red lights of the pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) signalling the way. The pohutukawa is also known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree because of the beautiful crimson display that flares at the end of November and right through […]
If there was ever any doubt as to how flippin’ cool plants are – you need to watch this video. Part botany recruitment video, it’s a great overview of the study and history of botany. There are also fantastic examples of just how useful plants are. Botany Without Borders via Bushman’s Friend [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MBmkTJkghQ&e]
This family tree shows how the various popular varieties of New Zealand apples have been bred. They originated with the Cox’s Orange Pippin from the United Kingdom, and the Delicious variety from the United States. Royal gala and braeburn are both hugely popular varieties. My personal favourite though is the crisp and tangy golden delicious. […]