Home comforts

Of all the things to love about winter, my favourite is to sit on the porch in the blissful midwinter sun and plan what needs doing in the garden.

Cooler days mean fewer bugs to worry about, fewer weeds - only the anticipation of spring and making the most of daylight hours to potter. To plant up a pot of pansies perhaps, or plant a new tree.

In winter there seems less pressure to dash out and about and we’ve learned something lately about the upsides of staying home. There is something so satisfying about a good winter clean up. There are roses to tend to and perennials that will reward us if we cut them back or lift and divide them now.

The clean scents of daphne, wintersweet and viburnums will be filling the air over the next few months and kowhai flowers will call in the native birds. It’s a good time to put the bird feeders out. Bird lovers can also get involved in the New Zealand Bird Survey (page 14).

Flowers are even more precious and appreciated when there are fewer plants in bloom, although there is no shortage of colour for the winter garden. Mandarins, for example, are like little rays of sunshine. This issue we celebrate the wonderful variety of citrus and other fruit trees available for growing in home gardens. For many of us, finding ways to grow more of what we eat is increasingly relevant.

When the days are short and shadows are long my tiny vegetable garden only gets an hour or two of sun each day, so planting some leafy greens in tubs will tide us over until spring (more about this on page 22). I’ll feel pleased with myself in July if I plant up those potato planter bags that have been waiting too long in the shed. And for that sunny spot in my front garden a mandarin tree should tick all the boxes.