Techno Auntie has taken her ipad up to Aucks for a last visit with the other sister and brother which means that the test kitchen is back in action. I have just conned Dad into making another batch of Feijoa and Pear  muffins for us and with any luck they'll be ready  for morning tea. He has been making this awesome fig and ginger jam for us lately and I going to see if he will make us some Feijoa chutney as we have heaps of fruit ripening at the rate of knots.  Just to put the record straight we keep the fridge full of sauvignon blanc to ply the old boy with and many a roast dinner had at our place besides what else would he do all day.  LOL

            

There is always something new to learn and in our industry change seems to be constant.  There are always new plants on the block and being the plant nut that I am I just can't help myself but to buy them in. Hence our ‘Must Haves' page cause there is always something that I must have. There have been quite a few purchases this week and include two new Lomandras ( Australian grasses) one of which has the most amazing blue foliage and is called wait for it, ‘Aussie Blue'. The other is called Lime Wave and has very nice fine lime green foliage. Now I have also taken a bit of a shine to the new Dianellas that are around and they seem to cope with quite dry spots and also quite a lot of sun without too much marking.  Still on foliage there is really cool ‘mock orange blossom'  (Choisya) called ‘White Dazzler' which has the finest of foliage.  Jumping quickly to something a little more fruity and don't laugh but I spied some Mulberrys the other day and just had to add them to the fruit collection,  ‘Apricot Shahtoot' and ‘Black English', Our weeping Mulberry in the garden had so much fruit this season  that I thought  that we should do something with them but as usual ran out of time but thought that maybe fresh mulberries might be interesting subbed in a muffin instead of blueberries. Now here is a NZ cultivar that was around a few years ago and it has the most amazing foliage Weinmania Harlequin. Check them all out here.

            
When is an Azalea not an Azalea? When it's a Rhododendron of Course.
Tax-o-nomically (no it doesn't mean being economical with your taxes - it is the science of plant classification) Rhododendron is the correct genus name for all Azaleas and Rhododendrons. From the gardener's point of view Azaleas are just one of the 3 main groups that make up the genus Rhododendron. The other two are tropical or Vireya Rhododendrons and the large flowering shrubs we have always known by the name Rhododendron. Azaleas generally have small flowers and leaves, bloom in winter/spring, and can be either deciduous or evergreen. Rhododendrons usually have large flowers and large evergreen leaves and tend to bloom in mid to late spring.  We have known Azaleas so long as Azaleas,  well the name has just kinda stuck in the written form and let's face it we all too old to change now.  Well ! I should really speak for myself. It's all very interesting botanically speaking. My friend Chris alerted me to all this naming stuff the other week when she sprung on me that Michelias are being reclassified as ‘true' Magnolias not just close cousins. Interestingly enough I think most of our clients think of them as Magnolias anyway and it's those wacky plant nuts like us that have to get our head around the changing times LOL.

       

Feijoa and Pear Muffins Last week I said that I will have this recipe up on board so here it is. Click the link and click on sweets.

Dont forget that we still have our Autumn sale on and there are heaps of good buys

Roses still 25% off,  Trees from $10.00,   Hedging plants from $3.00,  Griselinia Twiglight huge plants from $6.99,   Hedging Camellas,  Antiqued pots and more

Rhododendrons and Azaleas magnificent range, Click here for cruising Rhodos, and Azaleas

Citrus   an awesome range of Oranges, Mandarins, Limes, Grapefuit and more, all just here

PS remember we will be shut until 1pm on Anzac day 25th April and mail orders will only be dispatched on Tuesday for the week.

Its the last weekend of the school holidays then its back down for the winter term. Its been a gorgeous couple of weeks so make the most of the last weekend. If you come out to check out the sale bring the trailor for the trees.

haved a good one