Oasis Cottage

26/06/2025

I am so pleased that I finally finished planting 1,100 tulips into the double borders. 🌷🌷In this little video, I share my colour-blocking planting method and plan. Feel free to contact me if you would like me to email you a copy to modify and use for your own garden.

I purchased the bulbs from Bulbs Direct. They are sold out now, but at least you will be prepared for next season!

15/06/2025

Thank you to New Zealand Gardens Trust for posting this little article about us on their website!

We often say that it all started with just one flower, and that flower was planted, of all places, in the vegetable garden. At the time, we felt a bit cheeky about it. Steph even asked permission (a rare moment!) to sneak that single bloom into the raised veg beds. And so it began.

20/05/2025

Today, I started reworking the other side of the double border to plant 550 tulips for a (hopefully) colourful spring display!

11/05/2025

This week’s mission: reworking one side of the double borders — 550 tulips going in, a few purple overachievers coming out, and a fresh batch of seed-raised beauties stepping up for their debut.

After a very purple summer (lovely, but a bit much), it’s time to rebalance the palette. I’m aiming for more contrast, more structure, and a spring display that edges us closer to that 4-star goal.

27/04/2025

I was about to deadhead this Dahlia, ‘Richard’s Fortune,’ until I saw the activity. As voted by the bees, moths, and butterflies, it is currently the most popular Dahlia in the Blue Garden, so I think I will wait a while longer before tidying it up.

30/03/2025

Beginners luck to win best Dahlia exhibit at our local Oxford A & P Show, North Canterbury on Saturday. This variety is aptly named ‘Ambition’.

23/03/2025

We had a big weekend at little old Oasis Cottage. On Saturday, we welcomed a group of childhood friends to the garden we had not seen for over 20 years! How wonderful to be part of the reunion ❤️

Then, we delivered a beautiful bouquet to a lovely lady in Rangiora before hightailing it to Casa Rossa Gardens & Boutique Accommodationfor an end-of-season get-together of the New Zealand Gardens Trust owners in the vicinity. It's a brilliant garden; we can see why it is five stars!

Today, I opened our garden, and five wonderful groups came through. They forgave my lack of weeding and not getting around to lawn mowing. Some visitors had tea on the verandah, and I made friends with fellow Dahlia lovers, a lady interested in developing her floral skills, and a couple who were impressed with Laurie’s solo hard landscaping effort.

Gardening is a wonderful hobby. It brings people together.

11/03/2025

We had planned to open the garden on Wednesday, 12 March, but the weather has decided that's not a good idea. 🌧🌧🌧 We apologise if you had intended to visit. Our next open day is Sunday, 23 March, and we hope to see you then (weather permitting, of course!).

24/02/2025

Thank you, Essence Magazine New Zealand, for this month's lovely article about our house and garden. 🌲🏠

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e9fdc06bdee744a018b3623/t/67b4392d3750ef6e18f5341e/1739864399719/NC_ES_FEBRUARY25_web.pdf

22/02/2025

12/02/2025

As a new 3-star garden with the New Zealand Gardens Trust, we were honoured to have the Christchurch Botanic Gardens guides visit Oasis Cottage yesterday. We were a little apprehensive but quickly realised they were a wonderful group of friendly and knowledgeable gardeners who were very encouraging to us.

They volunteer their time to guide visitors around Christchurch Botanic Gardens. They are great people. Thanks for the visit!

09/02/2025

Today we opened our garden for the first time as a New Zealand Gardens Trust 3-star garden. These wonderful ladies who hailed from Wanaka, Ashburton, Methven and Amberley were our very first visitors.

Of course, Laurie served them champagne in a tea cup because he is an eccentric English gentleman. They didn’t mind.

Thank you Hannah, Charlotte, Nicky and Claire for your enthusiasm and encouragement. We look forward to seeing how you develop your own gardens.

Stay in touch! Laurie & Steph x