Behind the scenes:
get to know our gardener & grow your own veges

 

We’re spoilt to have an edible garden at our support office. It was brought to life earlier this year by Città’s CEO, Margot Acland. Her avid passion for gardening was the driving force to transform our carpark into an urban garden.

Our garden is attentively tended by Ian Stewart of Stewart Landscaping. He’s always up for a chat and enjoys showing us around the garden, sharing tips along the way. Read on to get to know Ian and his expert advice for starting your own vegetable garden.

 

Kia ora, Ian. Tell us about yourself and what you do.
I studied and did an apprenticeship and trade certificate in horticulture. After many years in garden centre management with Palmers, I made the move some 12 years ago to set up my own landscaping and garden maintenance business. I have a wonderful client base who are mostly in the central city and many of whom I would now class as friends.

 

Città’s garden is ever-changing with the seasons. What is currently growing and available to harvest?

• Herbs: coriander, parsley, and marjoram. Marjoram has many health benefits and is commonly used for coughs and colds–it’s perfect for this time of year.

• Lettuce: these are sprinkled throughout the garden, but those in the sunniest positions provide the best picking.

• Just down from the ever-popular coriander is a mesclun mix. This includes tatsoi which is a dark leafy green similar in flavour to bok choi.

• Kale: there are two varieties ready to harvest (cavolo nero and curly kale).

• Chard or silverbeet: the rainbow varieties are proving popular, so I have added a few more plants to keep up with the demand.

• Pizza thyme: no need to tell you what that can be used for. Turn that oven on!

• Mint is coming on nicely. Get ready for some sunny days and a good mojito. The lambs are looking worried too!

 

Is there a plant you’re particularly excited to harvest?
I am excited about the tatsoi, as mentioned above. This was a chance discovery in a mesclun mix and it’s currently thriving. The mountain paw paw tree is also coming along nicely. I grew up as a Waikato farmer’s son and these always seemed very exotic when visiting Northland.

 

What advice would you give someone starting a vegetable garden at home?
The best advice I could give to someone is to start small and aim big—even if it is just a couple of pots in a sunny spot on the deck. Nothing tastes quite as good as your own produce. Think of vine-ripened tomatoes or fresh basil. A courgette in the summertime is one of the easiest and most rewarding plants to grow.

Always start with a good quality planting mix, and for those who have a backyard to plant into, one word: compost! If you are using your own compost, ensure it is well-matured and not fresh–this will potentially burn and also rob the soil of nitrogen. It can be best to buy a bag or two from the garden centre.

The Tui gardening website is a great resource. I regularly consult it myself as we all need a reminder sometimes. Don’t be afraid to experiment and ask lots of questions. If you don't have success with something the first time please don't give up, it’s probably not your fault!

 

What seedlings are ideal to be planting now?
Seedlings that can be planted in the garden now are: lettuce, kale, silverbeet (chard), broccoli, brussels sprouts, onions and, of course, coriander. It is also a good time to plant asparagus, strawberries and garlic.

 

We hope you also discover the pleasure of gardening and harvesting your own vegetables. If you’re after a helping hand in central Auckland, get in touch with Ian of Stewart Landscaping on 022 350 2712 or ianjstewart@xtra.co.nz. Happy harvesting!