The Upper Clutha’s unique environment has inspired gardening enthusiast Ali Soper to launch a gardening podcast focused on the region.

Ali has teamed up with former radio broadcaster Jen Anderson to produce the Your Garden Coach NZ podcast to help educate and inform local gardeners.

“Ali wanted to do this podcast … specifically for our environment … because it is just so different to everywhere else,” Jen said.

“I think Ali has really tapped into something fantastic.”

Ali said she was inspired as a child by her grandfather's garden and watching what he was growing and how he nurtured plants.

She now lives on a property near Lake Hāwea with an extensive garden which is open to the public through the Secret Gardens of New Zealand network.

“My garden is about a three acre garden with a very large vegetable garden component,” Ali said.

“Visitors were coming through time after time and they were all asking the same question. How do you make this happen? How do you know what to plant when? How do I grow this? Why do I do that?

“So over the winter, I sat and gave some considerable thought to a podcast.”

The central mission of the podcast is to guide new gardens and to help gardeners become confident vegetable growers. 

“This [the Your Garden Coach NZ podcast] is all about getting people into a good headspace, getting them thinking about what they can grow and starting small,” Ali said. 

“So through inspiring, encouraging, and supporting through the podcast, I'm hoping that we can reach that goal.”

Jen said that among other things the Your Garden Coach NZ podcast will cover how to establish a garden, what type of garden is required, what tools are needed and how to sow seeds or what to plant straight into the garden.

The Your Garden Coach NZ podcast is available on Spotify and Apple podcasts.

PHOTO: Aurora Lane Photography