Saturday 28th February, 2026
Hi
Ok people, I know you are not going to like this, but here is my first newsletter officially in autumn. Yes I know, technically it doesn't start until tomorrow but really... you have all noticed the change in temperature, the fresh mornings, the darker evenings and the sense that summer, which has been struggling for a while, is coming to a close. Sigh. But actually this is GOOD news, especially for gardeners: no more daily pot watering, no more sprinklers on the patchy lawn, no more looking wistfully at the empty spots which need filling. Yay for March garden madness!
Time for a rest
And this is a good time to discuss your
Roses too. After diligently dead heading my lovelies for the the last few months, now it's time to consider that the next time I cut will be the last one for the season. About 7-8 weeks from now is around the middle of April, which is a great time to stop deadheading and leave your roses to start hardening off and going into their dormancy. This means they won't produce soft new shoots which could be damaged by early frosts and if you have some of the old fashioned types or shrub roses, they can develop those gorgeous hips which are so pretty.
As well as being nice to look at and a vibrant colour (often red or orange) rose hips are packed full of Vitamin C. In fact during WWII, when there was a limited supply of citrus, the British government gathered hips and used them to create syrup. Rose hips can be used to make tea, syrup or jam and even soup (in Sweden) and have beneficial effects for those with arthritis or who need a boost to their immune systems.
A disclaimer though - for those about to rush out and harvest their "crop" - they have fine hairs surrounding the seeds which can cause irritation if not removed properly. This can be done by straining. They are best harvested when they are brightly coloured and a little soft when you give them a squeeze. And it probably pays to check whether the plant has been sprayed before you go mad and collect these from the "wild" so to speak. Here, for your interest, is a link to some rose hips grown at Matthews Nursery - one of our key suppliers
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DuhPwGpFy/ Speaking of
Roses, there are some tasty treats coming up this year in June which include some newly released varieties. Watch this space for more information soon.
If you are interested in
David Austin roses, but a bit confused by some of the descriptions regarding their growth habits, you are not alone! Many of the David Austin roses are shrub roses and have a very vigorous habit making them suitable as tall bushes or small climbers. It all comes down to how you prune and train them. If you are looking to have a plant that grows up a small obelisk or frame you will need to choose some taller canes and tie these in as your main leaders and then prune back to these to encourage side branches which will flower more. The rule of thumb is the more horizontal the growth the more likely it will produce flowers, which is why climbers are generally trained like a fan or tied down to direct their energy into sideways rather than upright growth. If you want your plant to stay as a shrub, prune back each cane once flowered to encourage more growth lower down on the plant.
I have been exploring which are the most fragrant roses recently, so that I can update our website, and noticed that we still have some of these in stock. Part of David Austin's website mentions the top roses for fragrance and these include
Charles Darwin,
Golden Celebration and
Emily Bronte, which are all still in stock at present. Another one to check out when you are passing is
Margaret Merril - lovely fragrance and a multi award winning white rose. Our roses have come through the summer months very well and are still looking fantastic out in the nursery.
They are still on sale at 20% off.Perennial Sale
While we are on the Sale slant, here's a shout out to the bargain hunters as we start to special off some of our perennial range. These are flowering plants which have been doing their thing for the last few months and need a bit of a break i.e. to be planted in someone's garden. Being perennial they will burst into life again in spring and provide you with colour in pots, planters or your garden bed.
Twenty percent off to entice you to move them from our place to yours. First in first served. There's a big selection from
Gypsophila Rosy veil to
Felicia,
Euryops,
Dianthus,
Delphiniums,
Peonies and much much more.
Autumn Fruit Bonanza
The other thing I love about Autumn is that it is harvest time for some of my favourite fruits including:
Persimmon,
Feijoas and
Tamarillos. One of the staff picked the first persimmon off the tree in our display garden courtyard this morning. She managed to nab it before anyone else spotted it and enjoyed it for morning tea. It won't be long before we are all out there checking for bright spots of orange among the leaves.
Feijoas usually start to become ready in March and April, but these fruit have also just started appearing in staff lunch boxes...they seem to be early this year (here anyway). Wahoo! Last year I was away on holiday during feijoa season so I am excited to see what our crop is like. I planted
Wiki Tu and
Kakariki so I'll let you know how these go. Make sure you continue to water these as it helps the growing fruit, and a dose of
citrus and fruit tree fertiliser will help too.
Feature plants
Zephyranthes candida (Autumn Rain Lily). Native to the Rio de la Planta grasslands of South America, these attractive little flower bulbs respond to the first decent rains after summer by bursting into bloom. The white single flowers are similar in shape to crocus flowers and sometimes have a touch of pink. They will multiply over time to give you a stunning show of vivid blooms set amongst narrow green leaves. They can be grown in pots, as a ground cover or border.
Ficus pumila or creeping fig. For many, this versatile plant needs no introduction as it is widely used to cover walls, fences and sometimes the trunks of trees. Be aware that left to its own devices, it can become a bit of a pest as it will cover large areas and can strangle plants if left unchecked. With judicious pruning though, it is a real feature and gives texture and interest to boring walls and structures. It is adaptable and will grow in shade as well as sun. Its distinguishing feature is its adhesive roots which cling to surfaces.
Back in stock in time for Autumn planting are our much loved
Rewarewa. I mentioned these last week in association with the
Macadamias which have similar roots - adapted to thrive in poor soil. Anyone trying to attract birds and bees to their garden should have one of these as they produce lots of bright red flowers with nectar for tuis and bellbirds. The honey produced when bees forage from this plant is rich, dark and malty. Flowering time is October to December.
Last but not least,
Heterocentron Elegans or Spanish Shawl is a delightful groundcover with a brilliant display of bright pink flowers all through summer. My mum has this around her driveway and visitors always comment on the vibrant colour which is everywhere - it's a spreader, so be prepared!
I love Autumn. It's a great time to get out for a walk in nature as the temperatures are more conducive to exercise and the change in colour of the trees is starting to be more noticeable. A very pretty time of year. Enjoy your weekend - I'm off to deadhead my roses. Regards, Tracy.
Cheers from Lloyd, Tony and the Wairere team.
