Summer is a bit of a down time for many people - holidays, pool days, outdoor entertaining etc... For us at the nursery there is a bit of a lull going on too, as we navigate the gap between a frantic spring season with high demand for planting and a busy autumn and winter season of new season's stock arriving. Its time for us to think about those jobs which we haven't had time to do for awhile  e.g. water blasting, painting, building projects and any changes in the garden which require time to complete. After all, a garden is constantly changing whether its to do with the season or simply the natural aging of plants and some reaching the end of their lives, or succumbing to the battering of the elements.

If you have visited the nursery lately you will have noticed lots of downtime activity going on. This week our gardeners have been felling our avenue of Awanui Cherry trees. When Lloyd says they are going... nek minnit ... they are gone! These trees were planted by Lloyd around 30 years ago, well before the nursery took its current shape. Over time they have spread and provided shade, autumn colour and pretty shell pink flowers in the spring but all good things have to come to an end. Basically the trees were starting to show some signs of being past their best so its time for a refresh and something new. Now the dilemma of what to plant next???

 

 When considering what we would choose to replace our trees there are a few requirements which the plants have to meet. The first one is that they have to be the right size. For our avenue, we are only considering small to medium size trees which might grow 4-6 metres at maturity. Yes this is considered small! The next criteria is that they need to be tidy. Contrary to popular belief evergreen trees can be messy in terms of leaf shed - although they don't lose their leaves all at once, some varieties can be constantly dropping leaves all year round. So all our contenders will have to be deciduous.  And the final and probably most important thing is the shape and attractiveness to enhance our lovely environment here. As with all trees, there are distinct shape profiles which you should consider when selecting a tree. The principal one we talk about with trees is excurrent and decurrent. The difference between these two is that excurrent have a strong central leader and tend to be upright, more pyramidal shaped trees. Decurrent trees often have multiple trunks which have divided off the main trunk and form a more rounded head shape. This is the shape we are looking for to provide shade to our rhododendrons, azaleas, gardenias, hydrangeas and other shade lovers in bay 2 without growing too wide. This decision is one which will be with us for years to come so there has been lots of back and forth, arm wrestling and head shaking because we gardeners always have an opinion.

We have basically whittled it down to half a dozen varieties which we think will fit the bill including two varieties of Cornus (Dogwoods), two Lagerstroemia (Crepe Myrtle) and some green leaf upright forms of Japanese maples over 3m tall. We did toy with Ginkgo fastigiata (too narrow), Fraxinus Cimmzam (too tall), Pyrus Bradford (cant get in large specimen) and Magnolia denudata alba (not the right shape).

 

So the finalists are ... drum roll... Acer Ozakazuki: This is a very special upright form of Maple. The leaves have seven lobes and start off a soft shade of green in spring gradually deepening to a more traditional green.  The wow factor kicks in during autumn with deep shades of red and scarlet prior to leaf fall. Acer Senkaki is a stunning tree with the main feature a fiery coral red colour of the branches and twigs that are a real stand out in winter when the tree is bare. The green summer foliage turns golden yellow in autumn. Looking good as a possible option is Cornus Greenvale. This tree is a variety discovered in New Zealand which is a cross between Cornus capitata (strawberry tree) and Cornus kousa (Asian dogwood). It has large creamy white flowers which last well in the summer and amazing autumn leaf colour. At about 4 metres high by 3 m wide it fits our criteria very well. In some climates it is said to be semi evergreen - the more frost it gets the more it will become completely bare in winter.  Cornus Eddies White Wonder is a deciduous tree which is particularly good in warmer climates. It has striking white flowers in spring, attractive green foliage in summer followed by red fruit and brilliant autumn tones as the leaves fall. Its currently the front runner in this race and probably the largest growing at around 5-6 m mature height. It might take a few years to get to that height though...

 

Climbers for fences, pergolas and walls make a great way to add height and interest to an otherwise bland garden boundary. We have just received some sun loving varieties in store including the sought after Magnifica Trailii. Hurry, these are popular and will sell fast. We also have Campsis Madame Galen which is a fast growing bright flowering deciduous climber which will quickly cover any area which you have support for it. Its large trumpets of salmon orange are very vibrant. I have to mention a quirky NZ climber called Parsonsia heterophylla. This guy is a bit ugly to be honest but it does have the most gorgeous flowers which are scented as well so worth planting for just that reason. The leaves sort of look like a bunch of dead twigs although the new growth is bright green.

 

For those who are looking for something a bit different we have Bromeliads in store which are great for tropical plantings, conservatories or beach properties which are frost free. These will add a touch of drama and interest with striking architectural leaves and spectacular flowers (with a bit of patience). They love warmth and can tolerate a fair bit of sun as long as the humidity is maintained. 

 

A fresh selection of our popular Antique pots has arrived and are looking good. Perfect for a deck, front entrance or anywhere you want to create that wow look with a touch of class and nod to Italian style and sophistication. There are some with embossed motif of pear and some with olive branches, and you can get plain tall planters with bands for an understated piece with elegance. 

   

If you are looking for planting advice on pots, garden plants and trees drop in and see our expert staff. Our website also has lots of information with photos and explanations of size, shape and requirements for many trees and shrubs. Come along and check out the changes at the nursery too. Please be aware that we can not deliver pots and you will need to make other arrangements if you live out of town.