No regerts…

Yes, I know that says ‘no regerts’ and not ‘no regrets’. That’s a little in-joke for us kiwis. There’s a TV advert where a tattoo session goes wrong and someone very proudly shows off their new tattoo. No one has the heart to tell them it’s spelled wrong. And now whenever I think of the word ‘regrets’ I can’t help but say ‘regerts’!

But I digress! What’s the point of this post and what has it got to do with regret? Well….every year I tell myself: this is the year I’ll get on top of staking my tall plants. And every year, without fail, I fall short somewhere. Either I run out of stakes or I just don’t get around to it. Then regret comes crashing in, usually in the form of flattened stems.

Last season it was the dahlias. They were spectacular, my best display yet. But one torrential downpour later, they were a tangled, flattened mess. I was so grumpy with myself. That soggy heap of flowers was the kick in the pants I needed. This year? Lesson learned. Stakes went in during winter. I am super onto it and patting myself on the back with an embarrassingly cringy level of smugness. Just ask my kids. “Hey kids! Want to hear what I’ve been up to the garden? I’m super onto it this year”…..'sure Mum….yeah, well done….amazing stuff…you’re a legend’. Somehow I think they don’t really mean it.

White Eveline dahlia display from last season….a few days before they all got flattened by a thunderstorm downpour. Still kicking myself.

And it’s not just the dahlias. I’ve decided my bearded irises deserve better treatment too. Last year, they were glorious, but as the blooms swelled and the weather added a bit of moisture and wind, they began to droop and topple. There’s nothing worse than seeing a mass of velvety iris flowers collapsed in a heap on the ground. Not again! So I snapped up some decorative stakes in a big sale at one of my favourite garden decor stores, and my irises are going to be supported in style this season.

Staking doesn’t need to be boring. In fact, it can actually add charm to the garden. I use obelisks and decorative metal hoops for the tallest, most unruly plants. Single metal stakes with pretty toppers hold up the solo bloomers. And yes, the plain wooden stakes still get used, but tucked at the back of the border where they can do their job without being noticed.

Bearded irises from last spring. These ones actually stood up ok, but those tall ones on the right that were yet to flower when this photo was taken struggled to stay upright once the blooms came along.

The real key, though, is timing. Do your staking early, before the plants really take off. Trying to wrangle stakes into a fully grown clump without snapping stems or mangling foliage is a nightmare I’d rather avoid.

So this season I’m determined: no flattened dahlias, no drooping irises. Just strong, supported displays that can hold their heads high….literally. So, go get your staking sorted! You don’t want to have any regerts.