About

I’m a gardener based in Wellington, and Little Bird Gardening is the small business that grew out of years of tending my own patch — and then friends’ patches, and then theirs.

How I work

I like to start slowly. The first visit is a walk around your garden together, talking about what you love, what frustrates you, how much time you want to spend out there and what you’d like it to feel like in a year. From there I’ll suggest a rhythm: a regular seasonal visit, a staged restoration, or a one-off tidy with a plan you can carry on yourself.

What I believe

• Work with the season, not against it. Pruning, planting and feeding all have a right moment. Waiting is usually cheaper than fixing.
• Soil first. Most plant problems are soil problems wearing a costume.
• Gentle by default. Hand tools where I can, mulch instead of spray, habitat left where it does no harm.
• Your garden, your call. I’ll give you honest advice and then do it your way.

The name

Little Bird is for the pīwakawaka and riroriro that turn up the moment you start turning soil — the best sign that a garden is alive.