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Thursday 28th March, 2013

 

There are all kinds of Fruits!!

Hi

Fruits are not just about apples,  pears, oranges and lemons and before you start to snigger I am referring to the different fruits that many trees and shrubs also produce at this time of year.  If you are horticulturally inclined,  fruits tend to be any kind of  seed bearing structure but mostly people think only of the fresh eating kind. When I was walking past one of the yellow flowering magnolias the other evening and I was particularly intrigued by how many fruits tree had produced. Now they do normally, but this one had so many on it and they were quite largish red  and of course unusual in shape which made it all just so noticeable. For me, Autumn is all about the different structures that plants produce that hold their seeds.  Cotoneasters should be smothered in red and orange berries, For stunning purple berries go no further than the Chinese beauty berry. Don't think for a minute that all fruits are fleshy, as like all things in life come in every shape size colour imaginable

Just to quickly touch on the fruits of the eating kind,  apples are ripening as I tasted a liberty apple ( a very sweet eating apple) from the garden the other day.  The Feijoas are starting to swell and the Persimmons will start to colour soon.  Autumn is all about Citrus too and these are all filling out and will start to colour soon give a few more weeks

Portland Roses,  Modern science has proved  that there was no hanky panky with the Chinese relatives.

This small but important Group of Roses have a rather confused and muddy ancestry. For many years Portland Roses were considered to be an ancient chance (?) cross between Rosa chinensis semperflorens (Slater's Crimson China) and Rosa damascena bifera. Respected Rosarian Peter Beales wrote in his definitive work ‘Classic Roses':- "I am of the opinion that no China Rose was in any way involved in this scattering of pollen". Not surprisingly Peter has been proved right as DNA tests have shown that the Portland Roses have no Chinese Ancestry and in fact inherit their good looks, fine fragrance and remontant* habit from the Damask and Gallica.

The first standard roses grown earlier than perhaps 1818,  isn't that something

Rosa portlandica AKA as Rosa paestana and ‘Duchess of Portland' arrived in England around 1780 or so and was first listed in a Nursery Catalogue in 1782. The Nursery in question was most likely to be Lee and Kennedy of Hammersmith, London who were instrumental in introducing many new plants to the acquisitive horticulturists of the era. Not only did they import the first China Rose in 1787 and the first Fuchsia in 1788, in 1818 they also introduced Roses grown on standards, an idea they pinched from the French. Sacre bleu! Lee and Kennedy were suppliers to the Empress Josephine's garden at Malmaison and were given special dispensation to continue to supply Josephine's garden despite the Napoleonic Wars.

The Portland Rose is said to be named after the II Duchess of Portland a passionate collector and keen botanist. During the 1800's Portland Roses were bred intensively in France being highly valued for their brightness of bloom. Despite their desirability and importance in rose history eventually Portland Roses were out-classed by their own off-spring, the upstarts we know as the Hybrid Perpetual Group. Luckily we can still show them the respect they deserve and plant such beauties as ‘Jacques Cartier' and ‘Comte Chambord' in our gardens today.

Characteristics of Portland Roses

    Tidy and compact habit

    Short stems

    Fragrant

    Deep red or pink blooms that are very double

    Prefer rich soil

    Prefer Winter pruning

    *Remontant i.e. flower more than once a year usually summer and again in autumn


New in this week

Camellias and Rhodos  are all in, including a new release Camellia called Volunteer.
This newbie got its name from the thought that it volunteered itself and was appropriate to name for the International Year of Volunteering 2001. Distinctive full anemone form flowers open soft pink with white edging, deepening through the season to dark pink, still with the white edge until the late flowers which may be pure red. Heavy textured. Now if you are keen on bi colour or should I call them two tone Camellias, then you must take a peak at Jean Clere and Margaret Davis. Another one that I must throw in here that has startling colours is Anticipation variegata

Hydrangea Paniculata Limelight,  A new release plant and is a very cool shade of cream green, I think that the flower has classic paniculata cone shape  and this plant will grow into a reasonably large shrub.

Cordyline Design a line Burgundy, Another new release Cordyline with bright burgundy foliage and a excellent form. Leaves are slender and arch outwards and will provide that awesome accent of colour in the garden or pot.

Enjoy your long weekend, its going to be another good one, Dont forget that Daylight saving  will also be coming to an end soon, so make  the most of the last few longish evenings.  If you are out and about driving then do take care.

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 (15th February, 2013)

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

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: