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03/11/2026

A little collection of spring flowers I’ve been loving creating with lately, alongside some of my favourite vases.

I’m particularly smitten with this squiggly, crazy little number from BM Ceramics. An absolute delight. I’ve had quite a few comments on my vases lately, so I think a little vase tour might be in order.

In the garden, I’m especially crushing on Aquilegia and can’t wait for it to self-seed even more throughout the garden. I’m so grateful it’s already popping up in all sorts of places. It’s ridiculously hardy, happily growing in some of the sh*ttiest spots, and yet produces these beautiful, delicate, almost fairy-like flowers.

Alongside that, a few other garden goodies, including Solomon’s seal and irises. I don’t often reach for Solomon’s seal as I find its structure a little tricky to work with, but it’s been fun playing around with different combinations.

Having lots of fun creating with what’s growing in the garden and looking forward to seeing what else the season brings.

Flora x

02/11/2026

I’ve been putting off posting this because I feel really emotional about it. Monty Don is my gardening idol. He is cool, calm, collected and makes people feel confident and safe to give gardening a go. His advice is so digestible and you really do just drink up every word he says. If I’m ever home alone in the evenings, the first thing I do is put on Gardeners World. The jingle intro and then Monty’s deep calming voice instantly makes me feel at ease. I really hate being home alone so having him on the telly makes me feel like an old friend is around. If I talk to Jim on the phone he’ll ask what I’m doing and I say same as always, watching Monty. He replies “oh you got old uncle monts on, that’s good.”

I was saddened but also felt happy to hear he is leaving gardeners world. As now he can really just enjoy life in the garden with his beautiful dogs and grandchildren and have no pressure of recording every week. I’ve been very well restrained to get this far in my spiel and not mention his handsomeness once yet!

Recently I shared a picture on my stories and a friend replied and said he just looks like an old version of Jim - that really made me smile!

Anyway, years ago when I went to the Chelsea flower show I had the pleasure of getting within metres of him and it was a real moment so I wrote an acrostic poem. Thought it was a good time to share that again.
M - Magnetic
O - Outrageously handsome
N - Noble
T - Tranquilizing
Y - Youthful

And as the Queen Joanna Rigby once said: “I’ve rather got a crush on Monty Don” and I couldn’t agree more!

Thanks for your years of dedication and inspiration Monty.

Flora x

First picture was from the coolest New Balance Lifestyle campaign.

01/11/2026

We’re being told to expect a particularly dry summer, so here’s how I’m preparing the garden.

1. Choosing drought-tolerant plants.

Being a little more considered about what goes into the garden and choosing plants that can handle periods of dry weather. Some of my favourites include Achillea (yarrow), Sedum, Phlomis, Verbena bonariensis, Nepeta (catmint), Salvia, Euphorbia, Echinacea (coneflower) and Agastache.

2. Collecting every last drop.

I’m keeping watering cans, buckets and other containers around the garden on the off chance we catch a bit of rainfall. Every little bit helps, and having them close by makes hand watering a whole lot easier.

3. Watering deeply, not frequently.

Rather than lots of little waterings, I’m giving the garden a really good, deep soak. This encourages roots to grow further down into the soil, where they can access moisture for longer, helping establish stronger, more resilient plants.

4. Mulching, mulching and more mulching.

I’m using a combination of pea straw, linseed and wool mulch across the garden. Mulch helps lock in soil moisture, suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature and gradually build organic matter in the soil. The downside? You can lose a few of those lovely self-seeded surprises, but it’s a trade-off I’m willing to make this summer.

5. Watering at the right time.

I’m avoiding watering during the heat of the day when evaporation is highest, instead getting out early in the morning or later in the evening once things have cooled down.

Something to keep in mind is giving newly planted and establishing plants a little extra attention. Even drought-tolerant plants need help getting established.

A little preparation now can make a big difference when the heat and dry weather arrive. Here’s hoping we get a few decent rain showers along the way, too!

A few bloopers at the end for your enjoyment too. Jim was testing me when his phone started ringing, there was a lot of giggling!

Happy gardening,
Flora x

22/10/2026

Life in the garden lately. It’s been the most beautiful start to Spring. x

Mum in the garden at home Paula Kelly (B. Hort)

Rolled up pants - Watering before work.

Making a mess but soon this area will be looking fab!

Fred sleeping on the job, always.

Lily of the valley has bloomed. Magical.

Honeysuckle flowers have opened.

Rabbits and birds have been scratching and eating my garden!

My new fav plant!

Playing with flowers.

Surprise lambs that needed some help to get going.

Lots of peastraw going down on new gardens.

Egg shells everywhere to reduce the slug and snail damage!

My fav hat always on Le Sac

12/10/2026

My favourite low-maintenance perennials and biennials for dappled shade.

Not every garden gets full sun, and some of my favourite planting combinations are in those softer, dappled-shade spots beneath trees or along the edges of a garden.

Here are some of my go-to plants for adding flowers, foliage and texture to these spaces:

Foxgloves
Tellima
Aquilegia
Hellebores
Heuchera
Campanula
Hardy geraniums
Astrantia
Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
Solomon’s seal
Mignonette
Phlomis
Hostas

A little reminder: dappled shade can vary quite a bit from garden to garden. Most of these plants appreciate some light and soil that retains moisture without becoming waterlogged, so check the needs of individual varieties before planting.

Save this list for your next dappled shade garden.

Happy gardening,
Flora x

11/10/2026

Red and yellow flowers are usually an unpleasant surprise in my garden. So deliberately planting red and yellow tulips, including some that combine both colours in a single flower, was a pretty bold move for me.

But inspired by some of Willow Crossley’s spring delights last year, I thought it was time to challenge myself a little. And honestly, I’ve had so much fun with it.

There’s something magical about spring flowers and the way they invite you to play with colour, experiment and create combinations you might not usually gravitate towards. No careful colour palette or perfectly blended tones, just a riot of colour and a bit of creative freedom.

It’s been such a joy to see what I can create with what’s flowering in this garden. And to think that this time next year, there’ll be even more growing, flowering and waiting to be picked. I can’t wait 💌

Flora x

09/10/2026

My favourite drought-tolerant perennials for a lower-maintenance garden.

With a potential super El Niño summer ahead, I thought this might be a handy list to save if you’re planning a garden that can cope a little better with the dry.

These are some of my go-to plants for sunny borders that don’t need constant watering once established.

Achillea (yarrow)
Sedum
Phlomis
Verbena bonariensis
Nepeta (catmint)
Salvia
Euphorbia
Echinacea (coneflower)
Agastache

One important thing to remember: drought-tolerant doesn’t mean drought-proof, especially when it comes to newly planted gardens. All of these plants need regular watering while they’re establishing their root systems. Once established, they’ll generally cope much better with dry conditions.

A good soak less often is usually more helpful than a little sprinkle every day, as it encourages roots to grow deeper into the soil.

Even drought-tolerant plants may need a helping hand through prolonged heatwaves or exceptionally dry summers.

Happy gardening,
Flora x

08/10/2026

HOW I PLAN A NEW GARDEN.

When I’m planting up a new garden, I’m not just thinking about which plants I like. I’m thinking about how the whole planting will work together, now and as it grows.

COLOUR PALETTE
I like to start with a loose colour palette rather than choosing every plant individually. It helps the planting feel cohesive, while still leaving room for a bit of wildness and surprise.

HEIGHT + STRUCTURE
I want a mix of heights, shapes and textures, with taller plants creating structure and movement through the bed and lower planting filling things in around them.

For this garden, I’ve loosely grouped the plants into tall, medium and short layers. These are very much generalisations, plenty of these plants could sit in a different category depending on the variety, conditions and how they’re grown.

TALL:
Cephalaria · Verbascum · Leonurus · Dahlias · Foxgloves

MEDIUM:
Echinacea · Sanguisorba · Euphorbia · Campanula · Sedum · Aquilegia · Achillea · Knautia macedonica · Salvias

SHORT:
Alchemilla mollis · Heuchera · Tellima · Astrantia · Geraniums

PLANTING CONDITIONS
The right plant in the wrong spot is never going to thrive. I’m thinking about things like full sun vs shade, soil, moisture and how much exposure each part of the garden gets, then choosing plants that are actually happy with those conditions.

YEAR-ROUND INTEREST
I also want the garden to have something happening throughout the year. That might be flowers at different times, interesting foliage, seed heads, grasses, structure or plants that hold their shape through winter.

The goal isn’t a garden where everything is flowering at once. It’s a garden that keeps changing, growing and giving you something to notice.

Happy gardening,
Flora x

Address

Leithfield

Website

http://www.floragrow.co.nz/

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