There is always a project on hand with us. Lately we have been replacing all the old, falling down, wire fences with smart new post and rail and what an improvement it's made to the general look of the garden centre. We have even organised new metal through the car park and down the hill so that it all looks very tidy and fresh. That's not all; the bridge in the garden has been given a face lift and even has brand new side rail posts that we have yet, just to put rope through to give that finishing touch. Whilst on the gardens they are looking pretty cool if I do say so myself and we have started developing areas that we have never been to before. There is now a path that goes out and around the pond and new plantings are started. We haven't got all the way around yet but all of a sudden it's all go and I'm keen to get more of it done.  We are mulching it as we go to keep those summer weeds at bay. Whilst on the garden subject, coming up on Sat the 17th of November is the Gordonton Country Ramble, check out the events tab for more details.

 
Spring and Summer Veg
We have a little patch of ground out the back and after I've finished at the nursery for the day, I take the dogs for a walk down there and plant a bag of seed potatoes. So far I have got in Red rascal, Heathers, Ilam Hardy and I planning on putting in another couple more flavours.  I had to laugh the other day as a customer reminded me that our 6 months of eating zucchini is about to begin and how right they were. The next things to go in will be Zucchini, Pumpkins, Squash and a  few Cucumbers. In the house garden I have already planted rows of coloured Silverbeet, green Silverbeet, Mizuna and anything else leafy that I can pick small to throw into sandwichs or just tossed greens and a salad. With this latest, deliciously warm and sunny period, I am planning on getting some toms in as well.  We have discovered bioboost  fert (organic slow release  stuff) and so everything is getting their share of this including the  lawns.  If you have a hankering to get some potted vege or herbs in then we do have a small range here ready right now. Includes a range of tomatoes from Kings seeds, cucumber, pumpkins, zucchini, silverbeets and of course  must have cooking herbs.

Lemon Passionfruit and Coconut Slice

I just love growing what we can use and eat and I found this recipe for a lemon and passion fruit pulp slice the other day in one of Tonys cookbooks.  It used fresh lemon juice and I grabbed a a jar of passionfruit pulp that I had  preserved from last year. Its totally decadent as it has two cans of condensed milk  and 8 egg yokes in the filling so if you have a sweet tooth like me then you'll love it. It did put me out of my comfort zone to make but hey, it wasn't that hard and it worked out and even looked just like the pic in the recipe book. I did  start with a slice tin and half way through the cooking decided that I wasn't going to get all the filling in and ended up throwing it all into a deeper tin, part way through cooking the base. I decided if it still turned out alright through all that it's not to difficult. Will get the recipe up over the weekend. Look for it in Whats cooking,  Sweets

               

Dianthus or most may know as pinks and I found out that they were nick named as such for either their pink colour or fringed blooms. The verb pink is with reference to the fringed or frilled petals and if you are bit of a sewer  then you will know that pinking shears cut perforated or punched pattern but in this instance refers to the petals edge. Now the other really cool thing about pinks or Dianthus is their spicy clove like fragrance which is so characteristic of this group of hardy perennials. It seems that  they are a good subject to breed and there are some pretty awesome new ones with very pretty flowers though I will say the one called Slap and tickle brought a smile to Rose's( in the office creating the new stock codes) face as she says" where do they get these names" !!!

If you are looking for colour in pots to spruce up the courtyard , deck or patio for, do I mention Christmas, quite yet, then you just can't go past Pelargoniums, (yes, I'm going to call them by their proper name but we all know them as Geraniums) . If you get them into pots now, then they will fill out and be a mass of colour for months. Good ole Daisies are also pretty good for just straight out colour too.  Alstoemerias are really tough and hardy garden plants and their flowers seem to last forever inside in a vase. There are so many new ones coming out from normal tall ones to dwarf ones that they  deserve a place in the garden or even as colour in a pot.

Another blast from the past are good ole Astilbes. I think that these are pretty cool with their dense, feathery, plume like flowers in shades of pinks, white and reds. Now these lilttle beauties have another claim to fame and that is that they can be quite tolerant of quite moist positions and as such, suit garden pond plantings or will cope with heavier soils.

Coneflowers or Echinacea are on their way up and out and have just started to expand their new foliage for the seasons. As their name suggests they have these stunning large cones as the centre of the bloom surrounded by petals of what ever colour the variety is. I love these perennials as there flowers are just so classic. Last year Harry took many a photo of a monarch butterfly enjoying the nectar from the cone flower Tiki Torch, have to add that the the colour of the flower and the monarch matched beautifully.

Carex testacea, A classic native grass to have with orangy bronze foliage. Excellent to contrast with other plants and good for sunny sandy positions. $9.99 now just $6.99

Phormium Green Dwarf, Small growing and green in colour, a awesome landscape type plant $10.99, these just $6.99

Libertia Peregrinans, Bright orange, spikey foliage, tough and hardy $10.99, these $6.99

Escallonias Big bushy plants and a range of flower colours from white through to pink to reddish pink. Excellent for medium hedging or just as a shrub in the garden, from $6.99 and $7.99

Santolinas Shrubby perennial suitable as agraden plant or kept clipped for a small hedge, in gray and green $7.99

Visit us this weekend  Our garden is looking stunning and the roses are just awesome in flower and there is nothing like choosing a rose whilst its in bloom, you know what you are getting. Make the time and come and visit the garden and us at the nursery otherwise have a great weekend.

Cheers, Lloyd and Harry and the team

Make it a Wairere weekend where gardening's not a drag