Small garden, green tales.

Herbst Garden is a journal of planting experiments, changing borders and the realities of creating a layered garden in a compact suburban space.

Notes from a small garden in New Zealand

Read the garden journal

Small grade perennials and annuals coming in 2027

A lush garden with a hedge in the background and flowering plants in different shades of purple, white, and blue along a raised wooden garden bed, with green grass on the right side.

A backyard garden during foggy weather with a small tree in the center surrounded by potted plants and a patch of freshly turned soil. In the background, there are parked cars, houses, and a street sign that reads 'In Next Street'. A power pole with multiple wires is visible, and a large tree extends branches into the upper part of the scene.

Latest from the garden

How we transformed a narrow, shady border

Lessons from planting for shade, and how to make the most of a small suburban space.
14 July 2026

Winter, a time for introspection

Winter brings less growth, but more time to reconsider the garden. A look at the Cotton border, the gaps in its flowering season and what I plan to change.
27 June 2026

A lush garden with a variety of flowering plants, a green lawn, and a dense hedge. Tall trees are visible in the background, and a small garden ornament is hanging from the hedge.

The Garden

Herbst Garden is a compact suburban garden in central Auckland, shaped by mild winters, humid summers and an ever-growing collection of plants.

It is being developed border by border, combining flowering perennials, shrubs, small trees and productive planting. The journal records how the garden changes, including the successes, mistakes and revisions along the way.

Growing at Herbst

A small collection of perennials is taking shape.

Over the coming months, I will be propagating and trialling a limited selection of plants suited to layered garden planting. Small-grade plants are expected to become available in 2027.

The journal will follow the process from propagation to the first plant release.

PLANTS COMING SOON

Hands wearing gardening gloves planting a green seedling in dark soil.

From the garden

Receive new garden stories, seasonal notes and occasional updates on the plants being grown for future release.

Plant subscribers will be the first to hear when the initial small-grade perennials become available.

A tortoiseshell cat wearing a rainbow-colored scarf crouches among white daisies and pink flowers in a garden, with green foliage and a stone wall in the background.

In the garden

Seasonal moments, current projects and everyday progress from Herbst Garden.