Nominate your Gardener of the Year

Tell us about a homegrown hero in your own neighbourhood.

• $250 worth of product from

• Kings Seeds • Palmers • GARDENA

• $100 worth of Resene paint

• 3 bush roses from Matthews Nurseries

• 3 fruit trees from Waimea Nurseries

• 1-year subscription to

AND THE MOST COLOURFUL CHARACTER RECEIVES

They say it’s the little moments that make life big. For Jenny Jackson, many of those little moments in a big life have happened in the different gardens she’s tended over the years.

There’s the childhood garden that was so beautiful that strangers who viewed it from the train sent her mother letters of appreciation. The garden she came home to after spending her day arranging other people’s blooms into bouquets while working as a florist. Then there was Ohorere, the Whanganui garden that became an all-consuming business after it appeared on Maggie’s Garden Show and was visited by busloads of enthusiasts.

While the properties may have been large with an impressive range of flora and fauna, Jenny reckons it’s the little moments of gardening that often bring the magic.

“Gardening is an adventure every day,” she says. “I still find it magical when I see a tiny bulb coming up through the soil and then going on to flower.”

That magic is continuing now that Jenny and her husband Charles have moved into a townhouse at Jane

”Moving into a retirement village certainly isn’t the end of gardening by any means. It’s been a lifelong love for me and will continue to be one. I’ll always have dirt underneath my fingernails” - Jenny Jackson

Winstone village in the centre of Whanganui. After selling Ohorere, they spent 15 years on a half-acre property nearby where Jenny was able to continue her love affair with roses, clematis and potted orchids, and Charles kept the veggie gardens in check.

It was the fifth garden the couple had developed together (Jenny jokes she must like creating gardens for other people) and their basic gardening philosophy has remained the same.

“I don’t think you should ever slavishly follow trends. If you don’t like certain colours – don’t use them. If you like an unusual combination of colours together, then use them and don’t worry what other people think. Do whatever makes you happy. Gardening should never be a chore.”

While it continued to make her happy, living with arthritis meant some parts of caring for a large property were becoming a bit of a chore. That’s why Jenny and Charles decided to sell the property and move into Jane Winstone, choosing their townhouse for its view and privacy, and the village for all the amenities it provides. The village has a waiting list and they’re pleased they had the foresight to put their names down ahead of time.

With their daughter the proud owner of their former home, they have spent the past few months turning their garden into one that reflects their tastes and talents. Jenny says going from 150 rose bushes down to about 12 was a slight shock to the system, but she’s enjoying seeing what she can grow in her new patch.

It certainly helps that Ryman’s team of talented gardeners take care of all the big jobs and it doesn’t take long to get the pruning done. That means there’s plenty of time for Jenny to enjoy the heated swimming pool (perfect for her arthritis) and for Charles to indulge his newfound interest in bowls.

“Moving into a retirement village certainly isn’t the end of gardening by any means. It’s been a lifelong love for me and will continue to be one. I’ll always have dirt underneath my fingernails!”