Spring has only just began but Canterbury has already had it's first case of legionnaires disease.

The disease is a type of pneumonia, and is commonly associated in New Zealand with compost and planting mix

Last year, 62 Cantabrians were diagnosed with the disease, 24 of them in November alone.

One of them was Rangiora woman Jullian Wadsworth, who caught the disease while gardening.

She says we was initially diagnosed with a chest infection, but her health quickly went downhill.

Wadsworth says the doctors told her recovery would take two to three years.

"It's been a long road cause when I left home I had to walk with a walker, I had numbness in my legs because I just about lost my feet."

Wadsworth says suffers more mentally now, with memory and confusion. but she hopes that will improve with time.

She is sharing her story in hopes it will remind others to stay safe.

She says it's easier to put on gloves and a mask than lose your life.

"I always thought I was pretty careful to an extent, and it would never happen to me, but it did."

Canterbury's Medical Officer of Health Dr Alistair Humphrey says as temperatures rise people head out into the gardens.

"We are expecting this unless people are very careful we may have even more this time."

He says the message is if you are handling potting mix or compost be very very careful.