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Saturday 3rd June, 2023

Hi
LOL as I sit to write this week's email and look out towards the nursery, I think to myself, if it's not raining, then we seem to be shrouded in fog of late. Of course that used to be fairly typical of the winter season though, it does seem to be just us here at Gordonton. Sometimes when I venture into town the sun is shining. I did wonder if the amount of ground moisture around will make the fogs more generous this coming Winter.
Re-vegetation or planting to restore 
It seems that in today's world that many councils and local bodies etc are making some commitments to restoring some of the natural flora back to our environments that we live in. I know that up in Aucks along K road and other areas that the council there has planted wet areas with plants between the road and the footpath with the aim to filter the water back to the environment. My Facebook feed brings up posts of the council looking to restore the gullies that run through the Tron. Then there are all the new subdivisions with wetland areas and rain gardens, all with the aim to recycle water through a more natural journey. These are just a few examples of what I observe and I'm sure that there are many many more.
There are several stands of Kahikatea out the back behind the nursery and act as a magnificent backdrop for the display garden and it's these blocks of trees  that I am keen to replant and restore. 
The land is typical of the area that these white pine like to inhabit, being usually low lying and wet from time to time. The area is really of no use for anything other than what nature has intended and certainly is not suitable for grazing or anything like that. It's my intent and motive to restore to a new natural state for the future and again will facilitate the normal process of the water through our environment.
The fact that some of the areas have been historically cleared of Kaiks has just enabled weeds to inhabit like Privet, Jerusalem berry, Woolly night shade to name a few. Over the past few years we have certainly reduced the "weed' issue with quite a bit of spraying (though only a certain chemical can be used due the Kahikatea's sensitivity). Every now and then, when we get spare time, a band of us are out there with loppers and Cut n Paste Glimax Professional, it's starting to look pretty good down there.
My next step is replant the trees and the margin areas and my idea is to plant to cover which will exclude the light and reduce or smother out the weeds.
Obviously young Kaiks are the one of the first obvious choices and the bigger the grade for me the better (kaiks can be a tad slow initially) as I'm not getting any younger and I do want to see something happening over the next few years. Pukateas or Laurelia Novae-Zelandiae are another choice as there are quite a few young plants among stands of trees already.
 
Some fringe plants to stop the westerly winds from hurting the new developing under story plants include cabbage trees, wineberries, Matipou or Myrsine australis, Whitey wood and Phormium tenax being a wetland flax. As I mentioned last week that we got rained out of there and it's just too wet to work in and I'm not so sure that it will dry out this winter and I think that it's the wettest I have ever seen. No matter, we will continue and keep planting when we get some gaps in the potting season.
Update on Tony (Anthony) and his natural progression from garden design to artist and is now painting towards his own exhibition. Seems relevant to include a pic of his painting of an area of the Kahikateas out the back with the morning sun shining through. It's very beautiful out there and will be more so as we return and restore more of this space.
From hedges to topiary Stds, again a constructive use of a plant
We often use terms very easily but sometimes forget that the client may not actually know what we mean and Standard (or abbreviated Std) in our plant world means a plant that has a stem and essentially a ball at the top. Kind of like a lollipop for the want of a better expression. Standards are fabulous accent plants and so often used as a feature in the planting like either side of a gate for example. Alternatively as height in the garden where you want something but not something that is going to get too large or tall. The beauty of having a standard is that you can control the height by keeping as a shape whether that be a traditional ball or a something more funky as in a square rectangle or obelisk.
There are many plants that are used for standards and the first that springs to mind are the standard Camellias that we have many of. Now last week I wrote that Camellias are very tolerant of being trimmed or pruned and so were awesome for hedges and the same applies for the use as standards in the garden. It takes time to grow a quality standard as these are produced from a cutting, grown to the appropriate stem height as a single lead, tipped to branch and then tipped again. My guess is at least a good 6 years from start to a subject that we would stock in the garden centre. On that note it's worth knowing that one of NZ best Camellias growers are no longer in the business and this is the last year we have their product and their standards are second to none in quality if you ask me.
 
Citrus also make for grand standard subjects and can be produced by either growing up from a cutting or perhaps more often budded or grafted on a tall root stock stem. Again often used as a feature plant but the choice is yours as to maintain as a standard or perhaps adopt the stem part as the tree trunk and let grow into a small evergreen tree. There is more to these than just fresh green leaves but fragrant white flowers and potentially fruit to give you lots of value as a feature specimen in the garden.
 
Podocarpus gracilior or fern pine has become quite vogue for hedges and also for those feature plants as a standards. Attractive lacy foliage in a contemporary fresh green, these are hardy plants that really suit being trimmed and again into what ever shape suits you design. If you want just adopt the plants height and let these grow out into an evergreen tree.
 
Michelia figo (port wine) or gracipes also are popular choices to have as a standard, evergreen, figo with fresh lime green leaves and gracipes with leaves that I would describe as more olive green. Gracipes has quite showy flowers that are fragrant and white. Figo has smaller flowers that are not so significant but are scented of port wine as it's common names suggests though many smell Juicy fruit gum!
Standard roses are very popular too and again as feature plants in a garden which will often give you three to four flowerings per season. Especially if you cut them back after flowering and bring them on with feed and water. These are not in stock yet and will be in over the month of June so feel free to waitlist any choices.
 
Rose potting starts next week
You may remember we have built a new shed for dispatch and OMG it's so good, on wet days we don't have to hang old tarps to keep the team and boxes dry. Cardboard does not travel well once it gets wet, and now the courier van can back straight into the shed and load, all whilst being totally dry. Best thing that we ever have done. 
 
On that front though, it has taken up our potting space and so we have had to relocate this to another area. The best bit here is that we are in the process of constructing a lean to shelter and for the first time ever we can, rather will, pot under cover with shelter from the rain. Of all the years to have some shelter this may be the best when one thinks about the current year and how much precipitation we have had. I can tell you from first-hand experience, potting in the rain ceases to be fun after a while, one needs full wet weather gear and the potting mix gets heavy and more porridge like with rain.
At this point I'm not sure whether to be excited or not as the concrete floor is yet to be poured and the roof put up, it's a long weekend as in King's Birthday stat Monday and the first roses imminent, Tues or Wed. It's a case of will it be ready or not, LOL, regardless of all of that we will be into the task somehow and the rose potting will begin.
 
As I mentioned last week that over the next few days we will be emailing all those with rose wait-listed items to commit so that we get to put aside your paid orders this year. If you haven't ordered your roses there is still time to do this as we move through the month. Just in case the rose you are after is not available please let us know if you have alternative options as a back-up and we we will do our best to fulfil your requests.
More flowers for the floral artist
 
Ozothamnus Just Blush, Rice Flower. Masses of papery upright flowers from late Winter through to Spring the flowers are beautifully offset by the bright mid green foliage and stems of the bush.  Flowering in small flowers in tones of mauve pink this is an easy care, medium size shrub that is drought tolerant.
Ozothamnus Springtime White, Masses of papery white clusters of pure white flowers are beautifully offset by the bright mid green foliage and stems. This is an easy care, medium size shrub that is drought tolerant.  Tip prune when young to promote a compact habit and prune heavily after flowering once established
Ozothamus Winter White, Masses of papery white clusters of pure white flowers are beautifully offset by the bright mid green foliage and stems. This is an easy care, medium size shrub that is drought tolerant. Tip prune when young to promote a compact habit and prune heavily after flowering once established.
New Helleborus in the Nursery
We just had a new selection of Helleborus (winter roses) come into the nursery over the last few days. Some amazing plants to select from. Check out Camelot, Early red, Early Rose, Jasper, Jacob and the Ice and roses range.
 
Daphne
Daphne Everyone knows Daphne and many are after the classic bush form and this is Daphne odora Leucanthe. The one that is in everyone's mother's garden and the fragrance is too die for. Comes as pink and white flowers. This shrub prefers morning sun and rich well drained soil to do well. These plants are due in later this month or early next month and so get yours onto your wait list.
 
What we do have in stock at the moment is Daphne Bholua which is a taller shrub with the same shape flowers that are white with a pink reverse and deliciously fragrant. We also have a couple of Bholua hybrids being Perfume princess and perfume princess white. Again morning sun or woodland position and rich well drained soils. Feed with Camellia or acid ferts. 
Still some roses for $20.00
Don't forget that we still have some roses from the previous season at the great price of only $20.00. These are now no longer showing in stock or on the website as we need to bring in the new seasons which we start potting next week, so you will just have to call out and have a ferret through them. We have moved them across to Bay 15 which is over by the red shed if you come out looking for them.
Another weekend has rolled on and this one is a long one with the addition of Monday being a stat holiday. The shortest day is not that far away now which means that we are officially into the winter and after winter is the spring. On that note if you haven't purchased your garlic we still have limited numbers available of Elephant and Printanor ready to go. 
A busy couple of months for us here in the nursery, potting the new seasons roses and trees. Hopefully all your gardens get to dry out so that you can get back into them. I need my trees to dry out for the same reason. If you are away for the weekend have fun otherwise enjoy the garden. Fingers crossed it doesn't rain!
Have a good one, cheers from Lloyd, Tony and the Wairere team

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Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: