Lavish opportunities for local lavender lovers this weekend!
Several Wairarapa lavender growers open their farm gates this weekend so you can experience something beautiful right in your own neighbourhood.
Lavender picking is great in itself and there's also the added bonus of taking romantic picturesque photos among the purple-hued rows of blooms. Capture yourself and loved ones at one of our local growers this weekend - a neat outing if you have friends and family staying.
Our growers also have their special products available for sale on site. Picking fields are located at Masterton, Carterton and Martinborough (details below) - each has its own unique offering, including one with evening star gazing!
Make the most of these special crops this weekend while the flowers are in abundant full bloom.
Martinborough lavender picking and star gazing
Saturday 14 January 8.30pm, Ranui Essentials 284C Dry River Road, Martinborough
Bring your telescope, a torch and an evening picnic for a 'Under the Stars' session with astronomy guides to help you navigate the night sky. Watch the sun set and pick some lavender. $5 entry per person, and kids are free.
Pick Your Own Lavender in Carterton
Saturday 14 - Sunday 15 January, Lavender Abbey, 351 Dalefield Road Carterton
Bring your camera, a picnic, and enjoy an outing with family and friends visiting over summer. PYO bunch of lavender for $5. Check out 'The Big Box of Lavender' shop while you're there.
Lavender picking and open day at Jaydee's Lavender near Masterton
Sunday 15 January, 78b Te Ore Ore Road, Bideford, Masterton
Lavender picking and open day. Come along to this lavender field and explore the new shop full of treasures and award-winning Grosso lavender oil. Remember to bring your scissors for cutting the lavender. Entry is by gold coin donation per person, per bunch of lavender.
There is also Lavender Magic, located at 61 Blakes Road, Mt Holdsworth, Carterton.
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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