Backyard Awards: Best Loved Lawn winner
Mark Elliott from Shirley in Christchurch has won the category of Best Loved Lawn for his lush green masterpiece. Congratulations, Mark!
We spoke with his about his process to keep his lawn beautiful and there may be some blades of advice for your own backyard.
Mark has a huge backyard so during Covid times, he decided to renovate the lawn and garden just for something to do. It’s turned into a passion.
His lawn is 100% rye grass - sourced from Prebble Seeds Turf World who supply many golf courses around New Zealand. In the summer he mows it every 2-3 days, sometimes daily, and waters the lawn with a deep soak of about an hour at a time, 2-3 times a week. He uses a granular slow release lawn fertiliser and other liquid fertilisers also.
Mark shares:
'I would say the secret to getting a good lawn is consistent mowing - at least twice a week. Maybe buy a bulk bag of slow release lawn fertiliser from a wholesaler. Keep the grass longer and just take the very top off the blade when you mow. It promotes growth, thickens it up and will really help with stopping weeds - oh, and water. Expect a water bill if you want a good lawn.'
The first photo below shows the 'Before' shot, 4 years ago. Give Mark a Like on this post if you think his lawn is pretty top notch!
Night-time roadworks on SH16
From 23 November to 17 December, stop/go traffic management will be in several locations on SH16 between Mabbett Lane and Restall Road (Sundays to Thursdays, 9pm to 5am).
Works will include chipsealing and stormwater improvements. There may be delays to your journey when travelling through the area. Click to find out more.
NZCCM Massage and English Programmes
The New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine (NZCCM) offers industry-focused Massage and English programmes that prepare students for professional practice.
Students gain strong Anatomy and Physiology knowledge, hands-on experience in the student clinic, and pathways into health and wellbeing careers. NZCCM actively incorporates tikanga Māori and Te Ao Māori, partnering with local marae for cultural learning and community treatments.
As Auckland’s only provider of Massage diplomas, NZCCM is enrolling now for February 2026 Programmes include the Level 5 Wellness and Relaxation Massage Diploma and the Level 6 Remedial Massage Diploma, both NZQA-approved with intensive block courses. NZCCM also offers NZCEL Level 4 for academic English preparation.
Open Days will be held on 12 December and 23 January.
Contact: 09 580 2376 or auck@chinesemedicine.ac.nz
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Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.1% Yes
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46.9% No
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