Native plants
Native plants provide homes and food for our birds, lizards and insects. Some native plants, like Mistletoes, are reliant on native birds to fertilise them. Other plants, like Kowhai, flower at the time native birds like Tui need extra energy for their breeding season. That's why you see Tui drinking the nectar during Spring.
Growing natives in your garden is a great way to help our biodiversity. Northern rata is a good choice for, tree daisy for those on the Kapiti Coast, and kowhai for Wairarapa. If you really want to help local biodiversity you can plant a rare or endangered plant. These are now more easily available from plant nurseries. To find out what suits your area look at our Native Plant Guide, an online guide to plants in the region.