Can I buy some talking Gnomes please?

I say it all the time but the weeks just roll into each other at this time of the year and it's about  this time every week that I think,  what has happened this week thats going to give everyone a smile or even a downright chuckle.  It had to be this lady who managed to find Harry and myself helping someone in the garden centre and up she comes and asks. "Where abouts can I find a couple of talking Gnomes. I have heard that you can buy them from here" and you know what, but she was serious. I have been speculating but perhaps someone has put her up to it.

For those that haven't seen the latest Wairere TV advert, well,  there we are, with our faces superimposed into Gnomes  cracking the odd camp joke promoting our garden centre. Whilst on this tangent Mary who frequents this place, commented on the vege plants that were now in stock. She says "gosh the place is looking stunning and you even have some annuals and couldn't resist adding but no Pansies yet .... Once again we laughed...
She is right though, there are no pansies, well of the annual variety, but we do have quite an increasing range of vege and herbs to fit with planting season. There are still some Delphiniums and I notice that there are some punnets of Holly hocks there too.

              

Now, no garden would be complete without Lavender and the Spanish varieties are pretty good at adding months of flowers and the bees just adore them. I reckon that for just sheer flower power they are damn good value. Now there other types of lavender and the English ones are still yet to come in. They are always later to be ready and these types are my favourites. Lavender needs a hot sunny well drained spot to do well.  As has become a bit of a habit lately but Chris digs deeper into the older facts about one of gardeners favorite plants..


 Lavender blue dilly dilly............
 
Who doesn't love Lavender? Used since time immemorial as a medicinal herb, an insect repellent, an aromatic oil and a general all round house-hold essential especially when there was a bit of strewing* to be done. The Romans and Greeks used Lavender when bathing and that is the origin of the botanical name Lavandula (la-van-dew-la) which comes from the Latin word lavare meaning to bathe or wash. Lavender's natural home is the Mediterranean region, the Middle East and India. Believe it or not the much loved English Lavender does not come from England at all. It was probably introduced by a conqueror who like to smell nice and wouldn't travel anywhere without his favourite herb. History tells us that Lavender grew in England from about 1265 onwards. Talking of smelling nice Lavender is one of the main ingredients in the world famous Eau de Cologne, 4711, named after the street number of the 18th century inventor of "water from Cologne".
 
Lavender has a strong biblical connection too; it is mentioned several times under the name ‘Spikenard'. Spikenard i.e. Lavender Oil was a precious and expensive commodity and it is written that Mary used this oil to anoint the feet of Jesus.

            

 
There are about 30 species of Lavender. They are described variously has shrubs, sub shrubs, herbs, or herbaceous perennials. They all have highly aromatic foliage and flowers but it is Lavandula angustifolia and its various cultivars that is the most popular for the production of Lavender Oil. The pungent oil is collected from the oil glands at the base of the flower spikes. Lavenders are generally short lived and in their natural habitat the volatile oil can cause spontaneous combustion which means they would be very short lived indeed!
 
All Lavenders are sun lovers and they prefer to grow in well drained soil. They will grow happily with little or no fertilizer. Lavenders are best trimmed after flowering. If you wish the discarded flowers can be dried for pot pourri etc. Bees love Lavender flowers so make sure you plant a couple of bushes near the vegetable plot or orchard for pollination purposes. Great for hedging or edging, perfect in the perennial border and lovely in a pot.  Love Lavender? We certainly do.
 
*Lavender was strewed throughout houses during the Great Plague of London (1665) as it was thought to be a protection against disease.


Bearded Irises have been topped up again so if you are hankering after some newbies for the garden then check out the web site. Have topped up on the beardless ones as well and so there are a good few of these Siberian Irises in white, dark blue, sky blue and rosy red.  They will look just awesome mass planted in big bold groups

           

Berries and grapes The first of the berries should be just about be upon us. I thinking of that raspberry jam that I always con Dad into making or just fresh raspberries for eating. We have plenty here still that are all potted $6.99 per pot or for more than two at$5.00 each. Some of the canes even have buds that are going to fruit. If you are planning on getting some grapes in then check out this selection on line, these are all just going into leaf.

Flower carpet pink splash. The new release pink splash is now in and even as a standard. Awesome roses to have that just flower and flower despite waht you do.

Hostas   We now have plenty of the latest new one Empress Wu that is meant to have huge leaves and there are a few of those really cool silver blue ones in now. I am always wowed by the delightfuly foliage of Hosta and they are a plant that do like those dappled light moist positions. Dont forget that the slugs and snails like them too.

 

              

Maples

The maples are just looking gorgeous at the moment with all that sexy looking foliage in all shades of green, red and others in between. There are some high worked Chisios that are just looking awesome and my personal fav Acer P Mikawa Yatsubusa. It takes all types and these just do it for me in with their cool green leaves with red bits and a kinda angular form. I guess that you have to see it to appreciate it.

The nursery is looking fabulous and well worth a visit. There are hints of colour happening amongst the roses which will soon be in bloom. I reackon that the roses are looking the best that we have ever had them. The garden is looking pretty tidy too if you have time for a wander.

 

Hope that the school holidays are going well for you all and if you have time them come check out the talking gnomes Lol

 

Take care and have a great weekend.

Cheers

Make it a Wairere weekend where even GNOMES know that gardening's not a drag