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Friday 2nd May, 2025

Hi

Wahoo, woke up to the sound of rain this morning (Weds) and spied probably around 10 mls in the rain gauge which, whilst still just a shower, is better than last week's effort. Maybe by the end of the day we will have another 10 mls which will help water-in the 1000 odd Kahikatea and understory plants that we planted the other week and completed yesterday.. well collectively it will all help. Update to Friday; we are now up to 40mls thank goodness!!!
Our window to plant is quite short as soon we will move to pot the approx. 20,000 roses that are coming at the end of the month. We won't get time to plant again until the end of Winter, say the end of July, which of course is still good planting time with lots of space prior to summer. You of course still have the perfect warm month of May going into June to get heaps of planting done.
On the note of Roses, do waitlist these if you are after something specific, or email us and we can do that for you at backorders@wairere.co.nz

 
Having said that, I see some more spaces out there on the said reserve that still could do with a few more Kahikateas and it is important that I plant as many as I can now as I am not getting any younger and I do want to see what has been achieved. Perhaps the budget will allow some more plants for after the potting season and we will get these in the ground late July early August.
Compost is so good for the garden
I think that I have written before that we try to recycle as much of our nursery waste as possible by making it into compost that we can reuse on the gardens. There is a system whereby all material that is suitable is collected and is stock-piled into a large concrete bunker. This includes lawn clippings, hedge trimmings and a variety of greenery that will break down in a reasonable time frame. We have learnt that anything too stalky needs to go through chipper or mulcher and so small tree branches and even Hydrangea prunings are all different materials to use if broken down.
This time of year fallen leaves are a constant task for keeping the place tidy and of course they add to the build up of fertility under the stones and nooks and crannies around here. It's a regular task to clean them all up and into a dedicated bunker to make leaf mould for the coming season. Leaves at this time of year can smother your garden and the plants underneath may die because they are not getting any light, which is why we keep up on it in the nursery.

 
Other green waste like rose leaves and prunings (which can potentially carry disease spores) and other plant material that won't break down, goes into a green waste bin.
Today Anita and Jamie have just uncovered another batch of compost that has been made here on the nursery. It is looking pretty good, probably one of the best efforts yet, and just perfect for putting around our Rhodos, Azaleas and Ericas. Well really, just good for all the garden in general as most plants love a humus layer and constant application will improve all soil types from sandy to clay.
Some of the ins and outs of growing members of the Rhododendron family
It would seem that a nursery that specialises in roses should have an amazing array of Rhododendrons because in Greek this name translates to 'Rhodo' meaning rose and 'Dendron' meaning tree which equates to Rose tree. Rhododendrons are native to Eastern Asia and the Himalayas and belong to the same family as Ericas (Heaths) the Ericaceae.

In general terms, all Rhodos do prefer an acidic soil that is free draining as they do not like wet feet. They don't have a deep root system but rather quite shallow roots that prefer good humus, compost, peat and/or detritus layers. From my experience they will actually perform quite well in most average soil situations, except those of heavy clay which probably is just too wet. 


 
We also need to talk about sun as this group or genus of plants are technically shade plants and as such do enjoy the morning sun but some protection from the hot afternoon rays. I use the word shade quite loosely as they are not a plant that will do well in heavy shade as they do like quite well lit positions. In fact many Azaleas and Rhodos like to be more out in the open with just some passing shade in the latter part of the day. It can be quite tricky to find plants for positions in heavy shade.
All Azaleas are actually species of rhododendrons and the two mains groups of the evergreen kind grown in NZ are the Indicas and the Kurume  both of which tend to reach a similar height of 60 cm to 1.2m. Very generally speaking the Kurume have smaller cluster flowers compared to the larger showier blooms of the Indicas. I imagine a little like the differences between the blooms on Sasanqua and Japonica Camellias, and just like the Camellia Sasanqua species the Kurume have a reputation to being more tolerant of more sunlight.

I must also add in here about the Mollis and Ilam Azaleas, which of course are a species of Rhododendron but, unusually for this genus, these are Deciduous. Generally they are much larger growing than Evergreen Azaleas and also more tolerant of sun and less-than-ideal soil conditions. These beauties tend to be a tad unique in that they often have bright colours in reds, oranges and yellows and often their leaves colour nicely in the Autumn.
The Evergreen Azaleas arrived a week or so back and are looking lovely and some are coming up to start flowering. 
Azalea Charlie is a beautiful evergreen azalea with deep pink ruffled double flowers from winter through to spring. A tidy and compact shrub.
Azalea Guanda Pink and Guanda Red. These little beauties are a low maintenance, evergreen plant that are really effective when planted en masse. They are covered in an abundance of flowers (pink or red respectively) from winter into late spring.

 
Azalea Palestrina is a hardy, evergreen shrub. It produces masses of showy white flowers with pale green flashes from late winter through spring. It prefers partial shade and is very suitable for planting in open woodland.
Azalea Red Wings was described by the Aussies on Burke's Back Yard as the best Azalea ever because of its tenacious nature and top performance. The bright red double flowers appear for months from winter to late spring.
The main selection of Rhododendrons have just arrived and been put away and they are fab plants. The Deciduous Azaleas are still some time away, but they can be waitlisted for when they arrive. 
Vireyas are tropical and are a subgenus of Rhododendrons. They are a little different from regular Rhodos, though their flower formation is the similar. In my eyes they tend to have more glossy leaves and a more brightly coloured flower range. Their natural habit is epiphytic or lithophytic which means that they grow on plants or rocks according to google, the latter I find more difficult to imagine. 

 
Most epiphytes, due to where they naturally grow, need sharp drainage and root confinement and so you often see Vireyas in the likes of pots and punga containers in shaded areas. Having said that, I'm keen to try one in the fork of a tree or some such position as they can flower more than once a year though usually Spring and Autumn.
Being tropical of origin it is correct to assume that Vireyas are not tolerant of frost but can be easily grown under the cover of trees and building overhangs. There is still a good collection of Vireya Rhodos in stock if you have a hankering to give these beauties a go, or to just add to your collection. They are pretty easy in a pot as I have several around my house. Vireyas are currently on special; 10% off!
Roses must go ... all still on sale for just $30.00 and looking great 
Mothers day is coming and some roses could be just the thing. Nothing like flowers as a gift and especially one that keeps on giving year after year.

Selected fruit trees
Selected fruit trees down to just $40 from $64.99. These are no longer showing in stock on the website so call on in to check out which varieties are there. These include Apples, Almonds, Apricots, selected Plums, Nectarines,  Peaches, Pears some Figs and Quinces.
Olives and Day lilies all reduced by 20%
Hornbeams or carpinus for hedging. Nice grade $29.99 each or get 10 or more for just $24.99 ea. If you are after that classic English/European hedge look, then Hornbeams are pretty hard to go past. Personally I just love the fact that these give such a seasonal display from pretty lime spring foliage to that structured naked winter look. The leaves tend to persist on the hedge right through the winter and so continue to obscure one's vision through.
Cryptomeria japonica nice grade also for hedging, $24.99 each or get yourself 10 or more for just $19.99 each. Why Cryptomeria? Well, these don't suffer from canker and trim brilliantly and they will make for large tall shelters that can be machine-pruned. You just need to look to the kiwifruit shelter belts to see how effective these are.
Looking forward and into the future and being organised
Garlic; it's planting time right now. Both classic garlic and the large elephant garlic benefit from being planted now while the ground is still really warm and moist. This will get a really good root structure going to feed and support the best crop to harvest in early summer.
Planning for summer Strawberries? If you want bareroot plants of Camarosa, to plant in Winter, then now is the time to waitlist these and get in the queue. They come in bundles of ten and have a short shelf life to be of good quality, so we like to be organised and get them out as quickly as possible. Book yours today!
Asparagus crowns. These arrive at the end of July/beginning of August. Last year we had beautiful large crowns of Pacific Challenger and this year we will also have Pacific Endeavour and also some Pacific Purple. My asparagus bed is amazing and so be organised and get yours in. Pre order Asparagus for when they arrive and while you wait organise their bed by using a heap of your own compost.
Spuds... These are always popular and I know that its a tad of a way off but be organised, be early, and get first dibs on the varieties that you want. 

 
I know that whilst we haven't really had an excess of rain here in local Gordonton, many living further out have had much more and then those up north have had more than they needed! It's something beyond our control and we have to take what comes our way. Still, it's so refreshing to see the end of distressed trees and brown paddocks as the leaves fall and the Waikato becomes its normal lush verdant self.
School holidays are over for another term and we are back into some normal weeks. Mother's day is next on the calendar, being Sunday the 11th, and it is always worth planning something for this...
Keep clearing up those leaves. I have to remind myself that it's a once a year task. Keep planting and keeping those weeds under control as they grow at the rate of knots right now.. don't dead-head roses but rather let them go to hips.
Have a great weekend.
Cheers from Lloyd, Tony and the Wairere team.

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2015 Newsletters...

We're back (8th January, 2015)

Settling In (29th January, 2015)

Summer colour (30th January, 2015)

Fabulous Feb (6th February, 2015)

Roses on sale (16th February, 2015)

stevia (20th February, 2015)

Cheeky Climbers (6th March, 2015)

Michelias and Camellias (11th March, 2015)

Living fences (20th March, 2015)

Easter is nearly here (25th March, 2015)

Mourning the end of summer? (2nd April, 2015)

SALE NOW ON!!! (8th April, 2015)

Autumn Harvest (17th April, 2015)

What to do with all those leaves. (22nd April, 2015)

Autumn Flowers (1st May, 2015)

Sunday Mothers Day (8th May, 2015)

Colours of Autumn (15th May, 2015)

Always a project (22nd May, 2015)

Rose potting (23rd May, 2015)

Clip n Snip (4th June, 2015)

Roses Galore (14th June, 2015)

Rose Climbers (19th June, 2015)

Its Time to prune (3rd July, 2015)

Like a candy shop (11th July, 2015)

The pruning session (16th July, 2015)

Red and white stems (24th July, 2015)

Rose pruning Thur and Fri (24th July, 2015)

Winter Colour (31st July, 2015)

Time to feed (9th August, 2015)

Magnolias (20th August, 2015)

Gardeners work is never done (25th August, 2015)

Till the cows come home, or get shoooood away! (28th August, 2015)

Topiary Art (11th September, 2015)

Tosca in spring (19th September, 2015)

An extra hour (25th September, 2015)

The first Friday in October (2nd October, 2015)

Pretties Galore (9th October, 2015)

Frantic Fridays (16th October, 2015)

geraniums are in (20th October, 2015)

November events (31st October, 2015)

Movember (9th November, 2015)

Christmas is coming (20th November, 2015)

Harry was blowing in the wind (26th November, 2015)

December (3rd December, 2015)

Chilli out for Christmas (18th December, 2015)



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