Are you looking to buy plants in New Zealand? If so, you’ve come to the right place. This article is your guide to choosing the best nursery, finding the perfect plants to suit your needs, and discovering the best places to buy them in NZ. Whether you’re an experienced home gardener or a professional landscape expert, we’ve got you covered.

How to Choose the Right Plant Store in NZ: What to Consider

When it comes to buying plants, not all nurseries are created equal. Here are some tips for selecting a reputable plant store:

1.     Range of Offerings: Look for a nursery that offers an extensive range of plants. This indicates that they are knowledgeable about different plant types and can provide you with many options.

2.     Quality of Plants: The health, condition, and vitality of the plants and trees on offer is another crucial factor. Healthy plants and trees will have vibrant colours, strong stems, and no signs of disease or pests.

3.     Customer Reviews: Check out what other customers have to say online about their experiences with the nursery. This can give you insight into the quality and condition of both the plants and the customer service.

4.     Customer Service: Good customer service is key when buying plants. The staff should be knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions you may have.

5.     Reputable Breeders: Choose stores that sell plants from reputable breeders that focus on quality plants and cultivars that have been well grown and tested in the landscape for resilience to the climate, including wet feet and frost tolerance.

1. A good nursery will sell quality plants that don’t have signs of pests, diseases or other health problems. How great do these dianellas look!

Buying Plants Suited to New Zealand Climate

New Zealand’s diverse climates require a thoughtful approach when selecting plants for your garden. Here are some tips to help you choose plants that will thrive in your specific environment:

6.     Understand Your Climate: NZ has a range of climates, from coastal to alpine. Understanding your specific climate will help you select plants that will thrive in your garden.

7.     Read the Plant Information: Each plant comes with specific care instructions and preferences. Does your garden experience frost or periodic waterlogging? Or perhaps you’re looking for a plant that can thrive in a rocky embankment where drought tolerance would be more important. Make sure to choose plants whose needs align with your garden’s conditions.

8.     Consider Ozbreed Plants: Ozbreed plants are specifically bred to perform well in a range of environments, making them a great choice for NZ gardens. We aren’t a production, wholesale or retail nursery. We are a plant breeder that breeds many of the plants that the nurseries sell.

Buying plants in NZ can be a rewarding experience if you know what to look for. With these tips, you’ll be able to select the best plants for your garden and enjoy a vibrant and thriving landscape.

Buy Plants in New Zealand: Top Retail & Wholesale Nurseries

Before diving into the best places to buy plants in NZ, it’s important to understand the difference between retail and wholesale nurseries.

Retail nurseries are geared towards the general public. They offer a wide variety of plants in smaller quantities, perfect for the home gardener looking to add a few new quality plants to their garden or for landscapers looking for a few plants for smaller-scale planting.

On the other hand, wholesale nurseries cater to businesses such as landscaping companies working on large projects, retail nurseries, and other commercial clients who need to buy plants in large quantities.

So, should you buy from a wholesale or retail nursery? It depends on your needs. If you’re planning a major landscaping project or need a large quantity of plants, a wholesale nursery could be your best bet. However, if you’re an individual gardener or small professional landscaper looking for a few special plants and personalised advice, a retail nursery will likely suit your needs better.

You can buy online plants or those in-person. The advantage of visiting an in-person nursery is that you can see how much you really love the plants in person, and you can immediately get in contact with a real-world retail assistant who can help you in your search.

The benefits of searching for plants online is that you don’t need to leave your home to add plants to your cart, and they often have the largest range. Online plants are carefully packed to avoid being damaged.

2. This native New Zealand flax looks great as a feature or as a ground cover. Sweet Mist™ Phormium tenax ‘PHOS2’ PVR http://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/sweet-mist-phormium/

Best Retail Nurseries in New Zealand

If you’re in the market for a few plants, you can visit your local retail nursery or garden centre and browse their selection. Some nurseries focus on specific types, such as succulents, edibles, etc. while others are broader in their selection. Call around if you’re after a specific plant to see if they have it in stock before you drive over.

Bunnings (https://www.bunnings.co.nz/) and Mitre 10 (https://www.mitre10.co.nz/) are two of the biggest players and have an excellent range.

Best Wholesale Nurseries in New Zealand

If you’re in the market for wholesale plants, there are a number of excellent nurseries in NZ that can supply what you need. (Please create a table from this website: http://ozbreed.co.nz/where-to-buy/where-to-buy-wholesale/#north)

Remember, when buying plants, it’s important to consider not only the cost but also the quality and suitability of the plants grown for your specific environment.

Where Can Wholesalers Source Propagated Stock in NZ

Some of the best plants operate under Plant Breeders Rights (PBR), meaning that you need a special license to propagate them. That’s because it takes years to develop a good plant, and if breeders couldn’t copyright them there’d be no incentive for them to spend all of that effort perfecting their cultivated varieties through cross breeding.

Plant Productions (http://www.plantproduction.co.nz/) and Lyndale Nurseries are two of the biggest propagators in NZ that can offer you Ozbreed plants. (https://www.ruraldelivery.net.nz/stories/Lyndale-Nurseries)

Best Plants for NZ Landscapes: Hardy, Low Maintenance & Beautiful

A good garden has different layers, including taller trees, shrubs and ground covers. Perhaps there will be a vine growing up trees, a trellis, or a hedge used to screen visibility.

Here are some of the most resilient, beautiful plants to add to your garden. No matter the size of the landscape you’re working in and your goals, the below plants should provide useful when organising your palette.

Best Hedging and Screening Plants in NZ

Whether you’re defining borders, providing screening or simply creating habitat, hedge plants are a classic go-to in the amenity landscape. Here are some of the best options available in New Zealand:

1.       Aussie Box™ Westringia (Westringia hybrid ‘WES02’ PVR): This variety is an excellent alternative to traditional box plants. It requires less pruning and is drought-tolerant, needing less water than its exotic counterparts. The Aussie Box™ Westringia produces beautiful mauve flowers throughout spring and summer and maintains a dense growth habit. It can be pruned into a box hedge or left in its natural ball shape while staying compact and tidy. It’s perfect for hedges, borders, containers, and mass plantings. More about Aussie Box™ Westringia

2.       Slim™ Callistemon (Callistemon viminalis ‘CV01’ PBR): Slim™ is a medium-sized shrub with a slim growth habit, making it ideal for tight planting areas. It bears bright red bottlebrush flowers in spring and autumn. It requires less pruning and is also resistant to Myrtle Rust. It’s perfect for hedges, screens, and windbreaks. More about Slim™ Callistemon

3.       Better John™ Callistemon (Callistemon viminalis ‘LJ23’ PBR): This plant is a compact, blue-green version of Little John, with new bronze tips. It’s fast-growing and produces beautiful, bird-attracting red flowers from late winter to spring. It’s perfect for hedges, screens, and windbreaks. More about Better John™ Callistemon

4.       Dense Fence™ Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum ‘VOC1’ PBR): This plant is a sweet viburnum, as it’s a dense screening hedge plant with subtle red new growth foliage. It requires less pruning than other Viburnum varieties. It’s perfect for residential gardens and commercial landscapes. More about Dense Fence™ Viburnum

These plants offer excellent hedging and screening options, each with unique attributes that make them stand out in the garden. Whether you’re an experienced home gardener or a landscape professional, these plants will transform any space into a private sanctuary.

3. This bottlebrush is one of the best plants for screening because it grows up to 3m tall, has a dense growth habit, and thrives with wet feet and drought alike. Slim™ Callistemon viminalis CV01′ PVR http://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/slim-callistemon/

Ground Cover Plants

Ground cover plants play a crucial role in gardening and landscaping. They are low-growing plants that spread quickly to form a dense cover. They add beauty to the garden with their diverse forms, leaf shapes, and flowers, and they also serve a practical purpose. Ground cover plants can help prevent soil erosion, suppress weeds, and even withstand foot traffic, depending on the variety.

Where and When to Use Ground Covering Plants

Ground cover plants are ideal for filling in bare areas of the garden, especially where grass struggles to grow. They’re excellent for steep banks, under trees, or between paving stones. Flowering ground covers can add a splash of colour to your garden, while others offer lush greenery. The best time to plant ground cover plants in New Zealand is during the cooler months of autumn and early spring, which allows them to establish before the hot summer months.

Flowering Ground Covers

Flowering ground covers bring dynamic beauty to your garden. These plants not only provide an attractive cover for your ground but also offer the added benefit of beautiful blooms. Some examples include:

1.       Low Horizon™ Westringia (Westringia ‘WES06’ PBR): This plant has a dense, ultra-compact, and ground-hugging form. It produces white flowers and offers a beautiful contrast with its grey foliage. More about Low Horizon™ Westringia

2.       Double Gold™ Gazania (Gazania linearis ‘GT20’ PBR): This plant stands out with its bright golden yellow flowers. It’s a tough, low maintenance ground cover that thrives in dry conditions. More about Double Gold™ Gazania

3.       Meema™ Hardenbergia (Hardenbergia violacea ‘HB1’ PBR): This plant is a long-lived, hardy ground cover with a slightly upright form. It produces purple pea flowers in winter and spring. More about Meema™ Hardenbergia

4.       Purple Pixie™ Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense ‘PEACK’ PBR): This plant is a dwarf ground cover with vibrant purple foliage. It produces pink flowers in spring and occasionally at other times. More about Purple Pixie™ Loropetalum

These ground cover plants offer a beautiful and practical solution for any garden or landscape project. They are easy to maintain and provide year-round interest, making them an excellent choice for experienced home gardeners and professional landscape experts.

Strappy Leaf Plants

Strappy leaf plants, with their long, arching leaves, are a favourite among gardeners and landscapers for their versatility and resilience. They can serve as fantastic focal points, add texture to flower beds, or be used as edging plants along paths or driveways. They’re also an excellent choice for container gardening.

When and Where to Use Strappy Leaf Plants

Strappy leaf plants are especially useful in areas where you want to add structure or contrast. They’re great for breaking up the monotony of softer, bushier plants, and can add an architectural element to your garden. They’re also incredibly hardy and can thrive in a variety of conditions, making them an excellent choice for difficult spots in the garden. Depending on the species, some strappy leaf plants also produce beautiful flowers, adding a splash of colour to your garden.

Here are some standout strappy leaf plants:

1.       Blaze™ Dianella (Dianella tasmanica ‘NPW2’ PVR): This plant has deep purple foliage for most of the year, turning green in summer to cope with the heat. It also produces deep purple berries in spring or summer. More about Blaze™ Dianella

2.       Blue Twist™ Dianella (Dianella revoluta ‘DTN03’ PBR): A compact and tidy plant with twisted blue grey foliage and purple flowers in spring. More about Blue Twist™ Dianella

3.       StriPy™ Mist Phormium (Phormium ‘PHOS4’ PBR): This plant has stunning cream and green striped foliage that is highly resistant to Phormium Mealy Bug. More about StriPy™ Mist Phormium

4.       Flamin’® Phormium (Phormium tenax ‘PHOS3’ PBR): This plant has bold red foliage that provides a great contrast in the garden. More about Flamin’® Phormium

5.       Sweet Mist® Phormium (Phormium cookianum ‘PHOC1’ PBR): This plant has delicate, weeping green foliage that forms a neat, small mound. More about Sweet Mist® Phormium

6.       Amethyst™ Liriope muscari (Liriope muscari ‘LIRTP’ PBR): This plant has stunning purple flowers and is a semi-compact form of Liriope muscari. More about Amethyst™ Liriope muscari

7.       Just Right® Liriope muscari (Liriope muscari ‘LIRJ’ PBR): This plant is a compact and hardy form of Liriope muscari with deep purple flowers. More about Just Right® Liriope muscari

8.       Regal Velvet™ Anigozanthos (Anigozanthos hybrid ‘RBR1’ PBR): This plant has rich, red flowers and is a compact form of Kangaroo Paw. More about Regal Velvet™ Anigozanthos

These strappy leaf plants not only provide structure and interest to your garden but also offer the added bonus of beautiful blooms.

Conclusion

Now that you’re armed with the information you need to make an informed plant buying and planting choice, you’re ready to go out and choose the best plants for you to create your NZ landscape garden. It’s time to start preparing your designs with your chosen plant palette, and get ready to make your purchases!