Friday 20th November, 2015
Hi
Green Peppercorn Sauce anyone?
It was dinner at our place last night for all the parents and eye fillet beef was on the menu. Harry has this mean method of cooking it where he salts the beef and wraps it in tinfoil then warms it in the oven on a very low temp for ages (50 celsius for about 20 mins) and then rapidly sears it on the bar-b. He then rests it for 10 to 15 mins depending on the size of the fillet, and it always turns out just perfect. But its the green peppercorn sauce that I reckon makes it just extra good! Now I never had a recipe or been shown so this is one I have just made up myself with trial and error.
Take a large chunk of butter and melt it in a cast iron frying pan then throw in a whole jar of chopped green pepper corns. Slowly add 500ml cream, season with salt and ground black pepper and simmer on low heat until the mix thickens slightly and takes on a light green hue. Should taste delicious esp poured over slices of medium rare eye fillet. Once I couldn't find the green peppercorns so I made this sauce with ground black pepper and that's quite nice but has lots more heat and off course is much more peppery.
Off course when you have guests for dinner, its always nice to check out the garden and so it was lovely to wander around with mum. She was keen to see the broad beans, which are podding up nicely, purely I think as she was visualizing some of them in her cooking pot. She went home with a bunch of roses, namely
Lasting love,
My girl and
Hamilton Gardens. Tony picked his mum a handful of
Dianthus to add to the roses. Its not just about smelling the roses, smell the Dianthus, or Pinks as they are commonly known, such a gorgeous almost sweet clove fragrance.
I also had just recently moved a quite large orange tree (2m plus) to make way for some changes in the garden. It took me about and hour and half to excavate around it and then slice underneath it. If you move a plant in the garden at this time of year remember it is imperative to water it in well and remove and soft new spring growth as you can't let the leaves collapse. I duly remove as many leaves as I could but had this brainwave that I was going to use
vaporgard as an anti-transpirant which I did do. Three days on its looking pretty good so I have got my fingers crossed that the vaporguard has done the trick.
Its a simple rule but if you cut a plants root then you have upset its ability to take up water so then you must reduce its foliage accordingly or the plants ability to lose water through its leaves, hence reduce foliage and remove soft leaves that will collapse.
Get the garden in shape for Xmas
Dead head roses or if they have finished the first flower flush then cut them back like a winter prune and in approx 7 weeks time they will be back in flower. Even if they are not in flower for Christmas they will all look fresh with a full leaf flush on though if we keep getting the rain then spray with super shield to control black spot.
Its the hedges that are next on my list to do.
As the spring flush finishes then its time to get in and trim all the hedges. Usually I like to have them all done before Xmas so when all the family and friend are here for Christmas brunch the garden is all up to scratch for them all to wander around. We spent a day in the garden on Wed trimming the
Lonicera hedge (Poor Man's box) as it had grown out of control. You've got to keep on top of this one as it grows fast but it sure gives a pretty cool look in the garden.
Had to bring the
Teucrium hedges all back into control as well but will leave my
Buxus hedges for another week or so. I was checking out the
Gay Baby Camellia hedge that surrounds the old boys cottage and see that its just on the change from red to green and it will be the first of our larger hedges to trim back into sharp lines.
What's looking Awesome in the garden centre
Roses are looking great and its worth a visit just to check these out and the scent on a warm days is so delicious it is well worth the visit for the fragrance alone. It is hard to know if the colour of a flower is showing true in a magazine or on a computer screen but you cant argue it when it is there in front of you so if you are wanting just the right colour then come and look for it now while they are in full bloom.
Acers are amongst my favourite trees. They have so much variety in form, given by the shape of the trees, and texture from the size and filigree'd nature of the leaves, some so finely cut that they take on the appearance of fine lace and of course such variance in colour in both the leaves, and the bark. To make them even more impressive these trees undergo seasonal change and this can happen every season for many varieties. Take for instance
Shindishojo. This begins in spring with glorious lobster red and shrimp pink spring foliage that slowly turns green as it matures into summer and then in autumn as the months turn cold this tree sets itself on fire with the most stunning display of red. Or
Sango Kaku which starts with a whiteness on it's outer edge of the leaf which gives a silvery effect when the leaf bud is just opening. Then they open to a mid green tone which is a beautiful summer contrast to the coral red colour of the bark. But in autumn this mild mannered green explodes into a rich golden yellow which is enhanced by that same red bark.
Red Pygmy is an excellent example of the fine filigree'd leaf and has gorgeous purple spring foliage turning scarlet in autumn.
Rubrum is one of the large leafed varieties that resemble the leaf depicted on the Canadian flag. Many of these big leaved varieties are stunningly large trees and have been used for maple collection for an age, hence the more common name of Maple tree. These trees are superb as field or distance trees as they are not diminished by big open spaces but there is also Rubrum Bowhall which has the stunning red autumn colouring of all rubrums but is columnar in habit making it excellent for smaller areas or lining driveways.
Hostas are in great supply at the nursery at present. We have a wide range of varieties with most colour ranges and heights in stock. These plants are excellent for as a focal plant in a shady spot or group planting of the same variety or made up of many of the different colour options available. Remember to stock up on the
slug & snail bait at the same time though as these are seen as rather tasty by some slippery slimies. Hostas are on family deals at the moment. Purchase any 10 or more from our entire range of Hosta priced at $7.99 and pay just $7.00 each.
Thumbelina leigh. This little sweet little
lavender will charm you with its aromatic, fine grey-green foliage and dainty stems of deep purple flower heads that smell divine. Bred to remain compact so a quick trim after flowering and you are ready for then next flush.
Michelia Free Spirit.... we have been so lucky to get these prostrate Michelias. Such gorgeous fragrant spring flowers on a cascading evergreen shrub. These are something completely different and special for the
Michelia (Magnolia) family.
Polygala Little Bibi is a lovely addition to the Polygala family. This gorgeous new colour is rich and deep and will contrast beautifully with whites and creams.
Double impatiens. These have the most adorable rose like buds that just smother the plant for such a long period. Looks astonishingly like a well-rounded, compact rose bush, but without the thorns! These love the shade and enjoy the moistness that comes with it.
Mail Orders
December can be a crazy month as we all try to get the tasks done for the year. To that end thought that it would be a good idea to say that our last week for mail order dispatch will be the 14 15 and 16th of December. Monday the 21st will be our final day for 2015 as we will need the balance of the week to get any plants sent to arrive in time prior to the long weekend.
We will resume Mail orders Tuesday the 5th of January 2016.
Gordonton Christmas Garden Ramble
Sat 5th Dec 9am-4pm
Tickets $20.00 Groups of 10 or more $15ea (School children free when accompanied with a paying adult) includes free entry to St Mary's Church fair and Woodlands Homestead Call 07 8243850 or email rriddell@xtra.co.nz
Its been stunning weather and even some nice rain to keep everything in the garden growing. I am aiming to get all our gardens and hedges up to scratch before Xmas so hopefully will get some quality time doing just that. Have a great weekend
Cheers
Lloyd, Harry and the Wairere Team
Make it a Wairere weekend w
here even
GNOMES know that gardening's not a drag
