Spring is just around the corner, and for gardeners, landscapers and plant lovers, it’s one of the most exciting times of the year.
As the days become longer, temperatures start to rise and plants begin putting on fresh growth, it’s the perfect time to get your garden prepared for the season ahead.
Whether you’re planning a complete garden makeover, filling a few gaps in an established garden, or getting started on a new landscaping project, a little preparation now will set your plants up for a strong and healthy growing season.
Here are some of our tips for getting ready for spring.
🌱 1. Start with the soil
Before planting anything new, take some time to prepare the soil.
After winter, garden beds can become compacted and may benefit from being lightly cultivated to improve aeration and drainage. Remove perennial weeds and work in quality organic matter or compost where appropriate.
Healthy soil means healthy roots, and giving plants a good foundation before the spring growth really gets underway can make a significant difference.
If you’re working with heavy Auckland clay soils, pay particular attention to drainage. Plants that prefer free-draining conditions will struggle if their roots remain wet for extended periods.
🌿 2. Decide what you want to achieve
Before heading out to buy plants, think about the overall look and purpose of your garden.
Are you looking for:
- 🌳 Feature trees?
- 🌿 Screening or hedging?
- 🌸 Seasonal colour?
- 🌱 Low-maintenance groundcovers?
- 🌾 Grasses and architectural planting?
- 🪴 Subtropical or tropical plants?
- 🌺 Native plants?
- 🍋 Edible plants and fruit trees?
Having a basic planting plan will help you choose plants that work together rather than buying individual plants that look great but don’t necessarily suit the space.
☀️ 3. Understand your growing conditions
One of the biggest keys to successful planting is putting the right plant in the right place.
Before choosing your plants, consider:
How much sun does the area receive?
Is it full sun, part shade or deep shade?
What is the soil like?
Is it heavy clay, free-draining, sandy or rich organic soil?
How exposed is the area?
Wind, coastal conditions and frost can all influence which plants will perform well.
How much maintenance do you want to do?
If you want a low-maintenance garden, choose plants that naturally suit your conditions rather than trying to force plants to grow somewhere they aren’t suited to.
At Concept Botanica, we can help you select plants based on the conditions you’re working with.
🌸 4. Think about flowering seasons
One of the best ways to create an interesting garden is to think beyond what’s flowering right now.
Try to choose a combination of plants that provide interest throughout the year — whether that’s flowers, foliage, berries, bark, form or fragrance.
Spring is a particularly exciting time for flowering plants, with many perennials, shrubs and trees beginning to put on a spectacular display.
Think about what will follow those spring flowers too, so your garden continues to have interest through summer, autumn and winter.
🌳 5. Give your plants room to grow
It can be tempting to plant a new garden quite densely so it looks full immediately.
But remember — those small plants you’re buying today may become considerably larger over the next few years.
Check the expected mature size of your plants and allow enough room for them to develop naturally.
Good spacing can also improve airflow and reduce competition for light, water and nutrients.
If you’re unsure about spacing, it’s always worth asking for advice before planting.
💧 6. Check your irrigation
As the weather warms up, plants will start using more water.
Before summer arrives, check that your irrigation system is working properly and that water is actually reaching the root zones of your plants.
For new plantings, consistent watering while plants establish is particularly important.
Where possible, watering deeply and less frequently is generally preferable to giving plants a small amount of water every day.
And remember to adjust irrigation according to rainfall — Auckland can certainly provide plenty of that!
🌿 7. Don’t forget mulch
Mulching your garden beds is one of the simplest ways to make a garden easier to maintain.
A good layer of mulch can help:
- Retain moisture
- Suppress weeds
- Regulate soil temperature
- Reduce evaporation
- Improve soil structure as organic mulch breaks down
Keep mulch away from direct contact with plant stems and trunks.
🐝 8. Plant for more than just looks
Spring is also a great opportunity to think about the wildlife you want to encourage into your garden.
Flowering plants can provide valuable food sources for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects.
Consider incorporating a mixture of flowering plants, native species and plants that provide shelter and habitat.
A garden that looks beautiful can also become a thriving little ecosystem.
🌱 9. Think about the plants you’ll need early
Spring is one of the busiest times of year for planting and landscaping, so if you have a larger project coming up, it’s worth planning your plant requirements early.
This is particularly important if you’re looking for:
- Specific varieties
- Larger specimen plants
- Feature trees
- Particular grades or pot sizes
- Large quantities
- Plants that are less commonly available
At Concept Botanica, plant sourcing is what we do.
We work with a network of 70+ nurseries and growers, allowing us to source a huge range of plants for landscaping projects, commercial developments, designers, contractors and home gardens.
If we don’t have what you’re looking for on site, simply send us your plant list and we’ll see if we can source it for you. We can bring plants in from our grower network so you can collect your order from one location.
🪴 10. Choose quality plants
Starting with healthy, quality plants gives your garden the best possible beginning.
Look for plants with healthy foliage, strong growth and well-developed root systems, and choose plants that are appropriate for the conditions in which they’ll be planted.
At Concept Botanica, we work closely with our growers to bring in quality plants across a wide range of categories, including trees, shrubs, grasses, groundcovers, natives, palms, subtropicals, perennials, hedging and more.
Ready for Spring?
Spring planting doesn’t need to be complicated.
Prepare your soil, understand your site, think about what you want your garden to achieve and choose plants that are suited to the conditions.
And if you’re working on a larger project or looking for something specific, let us do the plant sourcing for you.
Concept Botanica is a specialist plant sourcing and supply business, helping customers find the right plants for their projects.
🌿 Browse our plant range: www.concept-botanica.co.nz
📍 Visit us at 160 Fred Taylor Drive, Whenuapai
📞 09 416 9193
Whether you need one feature plant or an entire planting list, talk to Concept Botanica and let us help you get your garden ready for spring.
