Gardening – Winter garden for you and the bees

Winter may not seem like the most colourful season in the garden, but with a little planning it can be beautiful. As the days become shorter and cooler, many plants take a rest, yet there are still opportunities to create a garden full of colour and interest while supporting local wildlife. Permaculture (https://permaculture.org.nz/) encourages us to design with nature. Here are some helpful principles used in permaculture. 

One permaculture principle is observe and interact, and winter is the perfect time to take notice of where the winter sun falls, which areas stay damp after rain, and where birds and insects are most active. These observations can help you create a garden that works with nature rather than against it.

Adding winter-flowering plants is one of the easiest ways to brighten your outdoor space. Camellias, hellebores, pansies, snapdragons, and calendula add a cheerful splash of colour. Not only do they look beautiful from the kitchen window, but they also provide valuable nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators when food sources are scarce.

This reflects another permaculture principle: ‘integrate rather than segregate’. Instead of separating ornamental plants from food-producing areas, try weaving flowers throughout your vegetable garden. A row of rainbow chard surrounded by calendula or pansies can be both productive and visually stunning. Flowering herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and sage add fragrance, structure, and winter food for bees as well as providing ingredients for the kitchen.

Winter is also a wonderful time to focus on soil health. The permaculture principle of ‘catch and store’ energy reminds us that healthy soil stores water, nutrients, and carbon. A generous layer of compost or mulch protects the soil from heavy winter rain and also gives garden beds a neat, finished appearance. Fallen autumn leaves can be transformed into valuable leaf mould rather than being sent to landfill, demonstrating another principle of produce no waste.

Container gardens can bring colour close to the home. A collection of pots planted with winter herbs, flowering annuals, and evergreen foliage can create an attractive focal points on patios, decks, and entranceways. Even a small space can become a haven for pollinators as well as people.

As winter settles in, remember that gardens are not just about what we harvest. They are places of beauty, wellbeing, and connection. By combining colourful flowers, healthy soil, and thoughtful design, we can create winter gardens that nourish both ourselves and the bees, while embodying the permaculture ethic of caring for the earth and all who share it.

If you would like to connect with other local gardeners, join us at the Ōrewa Community Garden on Saturday mornings from 9.30am. New gardeners are always welcome. Or join one of our workshops www.facebook.com/Sustainableorewa/