An interview with Secret Gardener, Tania of Fantail and Flax — an established country garden in Manawahe, Bay of Plenty.
Secret Gardens is a garden-share platform that enables you to visit a diverse and inspiring collection of New Zealand gardens, across the seasons — along with the opportunity to meet the passionate, knowledgeable gardeners behind them.
This autumn, we’ve invited some of the insightful Secret Gardeners to share their thoughts and tips for this time of year in the garden.
In this interview, we speak with Tania, who has created an extensive and diverse country garden Manawahe, Bay of Plenty.
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Meet the gardener — Tania | Fantail and Flax
Tania is a primary school teacher by profession, an artist, clothing designer and mother of three grown up children, as well as being very much involved in the running of their large beef cattle farm and quarry. In her ‘spare time’, she likes to garden.
Over the years Tania has accumulated an incredibly broad gardening knowledge — growing plants from seed and from cuttings, creating no dig gardens, making her own compost and learning about organics and permaculture techniques to improve soil health, productivity and encourage birds and beneficial insects. As well as her passion for topiary, Tania is also currently learning about bonsai, and needless to say, she’s also become a bit of an expert on digging holes, and tree planting!
What changes in your garden do you most look forward to as autumn sets in?
The days cooling down and everything slowing down. The intense rush of spring and constant growth of summer make for two busy seasons in the garden. Although autumn can be busy too, it always seems to be at a less hurried pace. I think it’s because it’s getting the garden ready for winter, when everything is dormant and the urgency of growth is not a constant thing.
What’s your favourite autumn harvest?
The last of everything. The last zucchini, apples, grapes, sunflowers and dahlias.
I always enjoy the knowledge that every plant has worked really hard to get to this point and after the last picking they will be doing what they need to do to get through to next year.
What are the main tasks you’ll be tackling in your garden this autumn?
I always leave the cutting back and deadheading until very late winter (almost early spring). This is to provide valuable shelter for the creatures in the garden.
I do have more than the usual number of trees and shrubs sitting in my nursery and greenhouse. As soon as we have consistent cooler evenings, and the promise of rain on the horizon, I’ll be starting to plant these out.
I’ve spent the last six months gathering all the information I can about Piet Oudolf, a Dutch garden designer. He specialises in naturalistic plantings and developing gardens for wildlife. This is where I plan to take the garden in the future — a rewilding. The trees and shrubs I have to plant have been selected for this.
What’s your stand-out favourite thing about the autumn season?
It has to be the colour. I have planted over 300 trees in the arboretum specifically for this season.
Some of the trees are in their 20th year, others in their second year. I love watching this garden develop every year, as the trees grow they provide a better show.
I have planted in groups from threes to tens. The block planting allows the tree to get support from a friend — they get their roots down, then begin to hold hands. It is at this stage they begin to flourish. In the autumn they truly sing.
The arboretum covers around one hectare of hill country. It has layers and paths winding through it. So you can be standing amongst the trees, above them or below them — always giving you a totally immersive experience.
Fantail and Flax is part of Secret Gardens.
To visit this garden, book a visit at: www.secretgardens.co.nz
