Only one month to go until Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2021 kicks off!
This year's event runs from March 20 - 30th with the theme being 'The Great Plant Swap' as an easy way for neighbourhoods to grow stronger together.
Here's some ideas for ways you could get involved:
• swap seeds with a neighbour
• gift a plant you've grown to a neighbour
• take some flowers to a neighbour
• organise a produce swap
• share garden tips or recipes for food in season
• create community gardens or berm pollinator pathways
• host an inclusive garden-themed working bee
• a friendly neighbourhood BBQ with homegrown ingredients
The options are endless! At the end of the day, our shared aim is to help bring people together by encouraging intentional connection with our neighbours. Whether that be organising a street party, sharing a cuppa, or simply saying ‘Kia Ora!” to those who live around you, every action helps to create a safer and more connected New Zealand.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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