"Eight years ago, when I came back to Dunedin, I had to hunt for natives."
Although that is changing, there is still no native plant club among Otago's specialist gardening groups, she says.
The head gardener at Larnach Castle for the past seven years, Eadie has used natives there in innovative ways, such as totara as topiary specimens and a "mix and match" approach, putting natives alongside exotic plants for dramatic effects.
Passionate about New Zealand plants, she has completely revised her successful 2001 book, 100 Best Native Plants for New Zealand Gardens to get across the message there is a native plant for every situation.
Written in an almost conversational way, the book is full of helpful advice and excellent photographs, as well as the promised 100 plants - more if you count varieties in some listings - to consider for the home garden, including turutu (Dianella nigra), crown fern (Blechnum discolor) and Selliera radicans, most of which are rarely used as garden plants.
Speaking to representatives of 33 gardenings club at a Kindred Day function last month, Eadie said she would like to see people using Corokia for hedges.
"Why do you want Buxus [box] when you can do Corokia?" She describes growing natives as "connecting ourselves with New Zealand".
"We have the opportunity to experiment with them, but we're too scared."
That is a pity, Eadie believes, as New Zealand plants have "amazing textures and colours. We just don't have a lot of flowers. Birds and insects will go for natives if they have a choice."
However, the day of the purist is gone and New Zealand plants can be mixed with anything from anywhere.
"Natives don't have to go into a native section, so be brave."
Of her book, she says: "I just hope it encourages people to use native plants."
100 Best Native Plants for New Zealand Gardens is published by Godwit; RRP $44.99.
