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Friday 15th February, 2013

 

 

What's in a name ???

Hi

Clivia, Cli - iiiii -via or is it Cliv -ia ?????

Well Lloyd she goes " I hadn't had an email for while and that first one, that was pretty disappointing" I can't quite remember whether she actually used the word boring but you get the idea. Well I have to tell you, but every time she appears in the garden centre, I smile and it's all because she corrected me and my pronunciation of the plant name Clivia. Now I will own up here and now that I never studied Latin at school and that my studies were all by correspondence. Hence in the privacy of my mind I made up how plant names were said.  Now is it "Cli -iii  - via" or is it "Cliv - ea", well we have were having this discussion which I can't repeat here where it went. I will only, but have to leave that to all your imaginations!!! What I can say is.  that I am not as worldly as I thought I was, which only added to her mirth. All in good light hearted fun and hey, where would we all be without a damn good laugh every now and then.

   

Now Clivias herald from South Africa and have a  not so P.C.  common name of Kaffir lily and belong to the family Amaryllidaceae.  Now others that belong to this family  are Naked ladies (belladonnas) and Zephryantes (autumn crocus).  I just love Clivias as they will grow  and not just grow but absolutely thrive in the driest shadiest spot that you can imagine. Not only that, but they have gorgeous foliage and spectacular  bright orange flowers (though this does depend on the cultivar as there are some pretty cool cream ones and lighter shades of orange and red) To top of all theses pluses off, the flowers can be followed by awesome red berries that stand above the foliage. Don't plant them where the frost will get them but in covered areas and under evergreen trees for those of us that get frost they are just perfect.
We have a great grade of Clivia Belgium Hybrids which are a clone that have that wide leaf and bright orange flowers.

Roses : In the beginning!!  Gallicas and Damasks

Did you ever wonder where that fragrance comes from that we all just adore in roses and even wonder why some roses well just flower and flower.  To just quickly add here that most plants don't repeat flower, but we all expect a modern rose, well, to never stop. It's a very good reason to have roses as part of your garden. We have to go back to the beginning and I guessing that the fragrant gene came from the Gallica and Damask roses. One example would be the Apothecary's rose or Gallica Officinalis believed to be a native of Persia. Knights returning from the Crusades are thought to have brought this rose to Europe in the 13th century and when it arrived in France, began to be cultivated in quantity near the town of Provins. The Apothecaries rose was mainly grown in monasteries where monks prepared medicinal compounds, preserves, jellies, oils and powders which were produced from its petals. Because the dried petals also retain their perfume, it was popular for potpourri and still is today.  During the civil wars in the 15th century, the apothecary's rose was adopted as the red rose symbol for the House of Lancaster.

          

Trigintapetala or Kazalik is another very ancient rose originally from the Middle East and somehwere pre 1700's and today is used extensively in Bulgaria for attar of roses.  This automatically tells us that the perfume is deliciously delightful i.e. this rose is very fragrant! The blooms are somewhat shaggy, double and shaded a warm pink and Spring flowering.  

If you fancy yourself making rose essential oils then you will need to know that it takes about 50 kilos of rose petals - yes 50 to make just 30mls of essential rose oil (attar of roses)?  Blooming amazing!

PLANT FOCUS

Star Jasmine or as a rep called them the other day TRAC JACs

Trachelosperum Jasminoides is such a cool plant, not only is it so useful as an evergreen climber that has classic very fragrant Jasmine like flowers but it has become popular as a ground cover.  I have seen it trained along wires on fence lines creating some pretty awesome diamonds. I have even seen it clipped into a small hedge. Its just one of those incredibly handy plants that can be trained into all sorts of situations.

Echium fastuosum, Commonly known as Pride of Madeira, this plant is just awesome and great bee fodder to boot. stunning bluish flowers in spires and just fab value $10.99, these now just $5.00 or order 5 of these on line and get them at just $4.00 each

While you are sitting out in your garden, glass in wine in hand  on these glorious summer evenings start doing a little planning for all those new treasures that we will have again in the winter. Nows the time to reflect and order that special rose or a replacement tree.

If you are in the garden centre this weekend and notice that some of the tables are empty, we are on a roll again of scrubbing them all down in readiness for a new coat of paint. Nothing like a spruce up to keep the place looking good. Whatever you're doing, have a great weekend

Cheers, Lloyd and Harry and the team

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

Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, RD 1, Hamilton
07 824 34 30
www.wairere.co.nz

 

 

 

 

 

 

Archived by year 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 |

2013 Newsletters...

New Year and Crepe Myrtles (8th February, 2013)

..... clivias and Roses

Roses in the beginning (22nd February, 2013)

The Albas (1st March, 2013)

St Patricks day (9th March, 2013)

Cabbage Roses (15th March, 2013)

Hirsute Roses (22nd March, 2013)

Portland Roses (28th March, 2013)

Bourbon Roses (4th April, 2013)

Big boots to fill ... (11th April, 2013)

True Love and Large Hips (11th April, 2013)

Happy Birthday (10th May, 2013)

Tea Roses (17th May, 2013)

Hybrid Perpetuals (24th May, 2013)

Planting and caring for your new roses (29th May, 2013)

Polyanthas (31st May, 2013)

Hybrid Teas (8th June, 2013)

Floribundas (14th June, 2013)

Austin Roses =?utf-8?Q?e298bc?= (23rd June, 2013)

Different Coppers (29th June, 2013)

Pendula or weeping (5th July, 2013)

All in a days work (19th July, 2013)

Daphne (26th July, 2013)

Hydrangea Secrets (2nd August, 2013)

Maples high worked (9th August, 2013)

Magnificent Mags (16th August, 2013)

Mags Part two (23rd August, 2013)

Hedges (30th August, 2013)

The fluffy stuff (12th September, 2013)

Fluff and Stuff (12th September, 2013)

PC Irises (20th September, 2013)

Beardless Irises (27th September, 2013)

Lavender (4th October, 2013)

The Ilams (12th October, 2013)

Maples (17th October, 2013)

Maples (18th October, 2013)

Maples Part two (24th October, 2013)

Maples Part three (1st November, 2013)

It's Rained (8th November, 2013)

Busy week (15th November, 2013)

Hydrangeas (29th November, 2013)

Its rained some more (6th December, 2013)

Who's pinching my Peaches (13th December, 2013)

Merry Xmas (24th December, 2013)

HL Nurseries Limited t/a Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: