Ask the experts

Nicky Pellegrino speaks to the experts about how to get your garden looking its very best if you plan to host a festive gathering, wedding or a summer garden party.

Get your garden ready for outdoor entertaining this summer.

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When you have a lovely garden, you want to share it. So this is the time of year when many of us turn our thoughts to hosting an outdoor party. Whether it is to celebrate a special birthday, anniversary or a wedding, or simply a gathering of friends, you may think it crucial to have the garden looking perfect, down to the very last blade of grass. But think again, says Ben Hoyle of Kapiti’s Blue Gecko Landscapes.

“A mistake people make is spreading themselves too thin,” explains the award-winning designer. “Rather than trying to do a little bit everywhere in your garden, put all your energy into the area where you’re going to hang out the most. In any garden there will be plants that are past their use-by date, so take a look with fresh eyes and ask yourself if you need to remove things. Sometimes you do have to make tough decisions but throwing a party is a great opportunity to refresh the garden.”

LAWNS & PATHS

YOU CERTAINLY DON’T NEED TO WORRY about every blade of grass looking perfect. In fact, Auckland landscape designer Tony Murrell suggests letting the grass grow longer for at least a couple of weeks prior to the event. “Then just mow the patch where you’re going to be entertaining and a directional path,” he says.

“It looks like a meadow and defines the party area.”

NZ Gardener contributor Lynda Hallinan has hosted many parties at her property in the Hunua Ranges, from charity events to ladies lunches, and has learnt a few tricks over the years to get maximum effect without too much stress.

Her approach to lawns is also to allow some growth. “Feed two to three weeks out so it’s nice and green, then mow it three days out rather than at the last minute otherwise you’ll see any weeds,” she advises. “Then you just need to make sure the edges are sharp for the day itself.”

Avoid cutting grass too short particularly in hot weather, leaving it at least 30mm high and watering well to keep it looking lush.

The one thing Lynda always runs out of time to do is weed her gravel paths. “My miracle cure for lastminute weeding is Kiwicare’s Weed Weapon Natural Power. It’s eco-friendly and if you choose a sunny day and spray it on, the weeds shrivel up before your eyes.”

FLOWERS

POTTED COLOUR comes into its own when you are preparing a garden for a party. It is useful for filling gaps instantly and ideal for pots to dress the entertainment space. The key is to be generous, buy large pots and overfill them – you can always divide the plants up later.

“You don’t even have to take them out of their containers,” says Lynda. “In fact they hold together better if you don’t. Just cover in mulch. There’s nothing wrong with potted colour, I buy heaps of it.”

Her favourites include lobelia, cosmos as it stays in bloom for ages so you can plant ahead of time and give a quick deadhead before the day, and the African marigolds with the larger heads as they always look striking.

If you have a small space then don’t use too many different colours or types of flower – one or two will create the most impact. If the party is going on into the evening, opt for pinks, oranges and whites, which will continue to pop after dark rather than the deeper purples that are inclined to disappear. Lynda’s picks for reliable and striking border plants include Alstroemeria ‘Indian Summer’ as they bloom for ages, the Asiatic lilies that flower en masse and gladioli, which will flower about 90 days from planting.

If any guests are allergic to stings you might want to trim back blue-flowered plants, such as lavender, growing near the party area as they are bound to attract lots of bees.

HEDGES

WELL-TRIMMED HEDGES make a garden look instantly sharper. If you are not confident of your skills then hedge care experts Stihl suggest setting your lines with lengths of string taut between canes before you begin, to ensure a neat, even finish. The first step is to cut the sides of the hedge vertically in a sweeping arc-shaped movement, walking forward as you work. Keeping tall or extra wide hedges in shape is easier with a long-reach hedge trimmer. Most of these have a swivelling cutting head, so you can set the angle to trim along the top of a hedge or to reach across a flower border.

A formal hedge, whether new or established, should be tapered so that it is wider at the bottom than the top, ensuring the lower part will get the sunlight it needs for healthy growth.

SHADE

SHADE IS VITAL at any summer garden party. Guests will congregate beneath pergolas, sail cloths and sun umbrellas, so make sure those areas are comfortable and stylish.

“In New Zealand we tend to go for taupe or black sun umbrellas,” says Tony Murrell. “But colourful fabrics, like yellow and white stripes, give a more Mediterranean feel and make you smile.”