500 days ago

Is this a weed?

Jenny from

We are often asked "is this a weed?", so we are planning a weed identification guide for our website. What plant in your garden is giving you trouble? Are you wondering if it is a weed? We would love to see photos of your problem plants.

The best definition of a weed is that it is a plant in the wrong place. Any plant may be desired and manageable in one situation, (perhaps on the other side of the world:) and a problem in another situation.

Nevertheless, it is sometimes useful to know that a plant is known to be a problem elsewhere. If it is giving you unwanted work, you may not be the only one reconsidering its place in your garden.

In addition to the better-known weeds such as wild ginger, Tradescantia, pink jasmine, Japanese honeysuckle, privets and many others, recently in our clients' gardens we have learned of a few more plant species causing significant loss of space and damage to wanted plants in some local gardens.

One was Tecomaria capensis/Tecoma (aka Cape Honeysuckle, a common hedge plant with hidden runners, which if uncontrolled spreads new plants and also grows as a vine).

Another was Thunbergia vine. One of many different plant species around the world known as Black-eyed Susan, this one is a rampaging vine.

Below: Photos of a Tecomaria hedge on a street berm, where it is controlled by pruning. Any new plants shooting up in the grass would be mown down.

More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

Builder: Small to Medium Jobs

Bruce from Whole 9 Yards

The below phots - start to finish 7 working days. widened the cupboards, rebuilt insitue, new tops, paint and splash back.

During this past month I have performed many repairs, small building and upgrading jobs in several homes on the North Shore, my area work base. I’m a Sole Charge operation, all discussion and quoting, project management and product purchase, then doing the work myself.
I have a fellow builder mate to help on some of my jobs, between us we have at least 90 years experience, not bad for 2 guys. I’ve been swinging a hammer for over 5o years and Mike 40 years.
I specialise in small jobs, all those little things that should be adjusted, repaired or replaced and you keep putting off, simply because you don’t know how or where to get your maintenance brought up to scratch.


Please realise it’s way more cost effective to keep up to date with your maintenance than leave it and find that the original problem has now helped wear out something else. Now you have more than one piece to be fixed and subsequently, you guessed it, the job will cost more.
I don’t charge for my first visit, yes, Free. We can discuss your maintenance job be it big or small.
Feel free to contact me.
bruceurlich1@gmail.com text or call Bruce 0212121480
Thanks to Google my website is broken.

15 days ago

What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.

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4 days ago

Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.

John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!

As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!

John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.

Share your question below now ⬇️

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