A Mediterranean flavour

compact. ‘Munstead’ and ‘Hidcote’ (one of the darkest flowering lavenders) are popular but in a study by the Chicago Botanic Garden, which focused on cold hardiness and adaptability to wet, clay soils, ‘Munstead’ performed better.

Rivalling angustifolia varieties for scent is Lavandula x intermedia, also known as lavandin. ‘Grosso’ is the most popular lavandin and because it has branched stems it produces more flowers per head, making it one of the most popular varieties for oil extraction.

Stoechas lavenders are characterised by their sterile bracts that resemble bunny ears. They’re said to be the least fragrant of the lavenders but they’re also the toughest. Try ‘Major’, ‘Pukehou’ or the Ruffles series from Gardening Solutionz, available at garden centres.

Dentata (Latin for ‘‘toothed’’) is also hardy and can cope with drought and frost. It’s the tallest lavender, growing up to 1.5m, making it ideal for hedges. It has a lighter, rosemary-like scent.

Harvest lavender after a couple of days of dry weather, after any morning dew has evaporated. Cut flowers just above the leaves, tie bunches together and hang them in a dry, dark place – away from moisture – for a month.

Try lavender shortbread, or make lavender honey by stirring together, over a low heat, 2 dozen fresh lavender blossoms (or 1 tablespoon dried flowers) with 1 cup honey.

Remove, cover and leave at room temperature for a day, then warm until it is liquid enough to pour through a sieve into a jar.

– NZ Gardener

Any garden catering for a family should be a big open space. Any objects such as trampolines, sandpits or jungle gyms, as well as plantings, are better placed around the boundaries, leaving space for a clear lawn.

When you put these things in the middle, you ultimately cut the space in half and can’t use your garden to its full potential. Plus, it means that once the children have grown up and have no use for their garden toys any more, you still have your garden.

Create a dedicated area where your family and friends can come together – and don’t forget to include a decent barbecue

Upcycling can also be a fantastic way of creating a fun dining space.

Don’t be afraid to pop out to The first thing to do is to eradicate any nasty weeds and check that there are no plants that might cause allergies for your family.

Planting deciduous trees is always a good choice as they let sun in during the winter and offer shade in summer. A sunprotected spot is something the whole family will appreciate during the hotter months.

Fruit trees also make a fantastic addition and, like the vegetable gardens, will hopefully inspire the kids to get in their 5+ a day. If you have limited space, you could espalier the fruit trees and still get plenty of fruit.

For families my main motto is to remember that the garden should be about fun, because worn out kids are usually happy kids.

You can see Dan’s family-friendly garden exhibit come to life at this year’s New Zealand Flower & Garden Show at Auckland’s The Trusts Arena, from November 28-December 2.