Friday 19th February, 2016
Hi
Some things you just take for granted
Last week we were over in Sydney for an engagement dinner and taking in the Lagerstroemia which were just stunning in flower. This week our dear friends were over here in Hamilton as their father Dick passed away rather suddenly and so it was our turn to be the hosts. I have written about Dick here before as he was such a character with many tales and jokes. He just loved telling all that he was from a rather obscure place called Whangamomona.
Dick had us in fits one night as he recalled tales that the hills were so steep in Whangamomona that when you went out to tickle a new crop of potatoes that you were pinching your neighbours from the valley next door. There were many stories and another funny one that he loved to tell was having to take a prostate test for the first time and Ill leave that one to your imagination but a key line in the tale was "Assume the position" which apparently he didn't have clue as to what position was meant as he was 90!!!
Our friend Cherie's children haven't seen much of NZ and so we took the opportunity to show them some local sights in the few spare days that we had together.
A night at Waihi beach was in order but at around 1 am the volunteer fire brigade siren sounded. I for one just rolled over thinking that is was late in the night for that to be sounding and giving thanks for those that are so dedicated as to attend.
But for the Aussies it was quite a different matter, they were up at the window looking out to sea thinking that it was a Tsunami warning. They knew from previous research on the subject that they had approx an hour from the sounding of the siren before a wave would hit and were watching a few cars race past and kept wondering why we weren't getting up and assessing the situation thinking some were evacuating town. Their parents Mark and Cherie didn't even hear the sirens. LOL some things we just take for granted.
New plants in this week and there have been a few!
An oldie but a goodie is Pseudocydonia sinensis....I have always known of this plant as an ornamental quince because it has the most gorgeous quince like fruits that smell divine. It has classic quince like flowers on a tree that is mostly deciduous but has the most vivid red autumn tones. Can be a bit more semi evergreen in a warmer climate than ours so will make for quite a cool ornamental tree with a bonus that you pick the fruits and have in a bowl inside sweetly scenting the room..... Take a pic and send it to a trendy magazine for that look. ie glamorous bowl of fruit. Whatever you do with these lovely large bushes they are a steal on special from $19.99 down to $12.99 each.
Tibouchina or Lassiandra also look pretty in these summer months with largish flowers of purple and mauves. a couple in at the moment to choose from being Blue moon with luminescent lilac flowers and Grandiflora with the more traditional royal purple. These are a little frost tender so will grow quite successfully in those warm microclimate pockets that we tend to have in the built up areas of town
Bamboo is interesting because it belongs to the family of grasses or more correctly Poaceae... all manner of plants belong to this family and include many important cereal crops that we all just take for granted for example corn, rice, wheat, rice and barley.
Bamboo is really good for those architectural designer looks and so suitable for the garden, pots or screening, Now Bamboo comes as either clumping or runner styles and as the name clumping suggest tends to stay in a tuft or clump. Runner ... well they are a different kettle of fish and they send runners and depending on the type of bamboo could be several metres from the original plant. the types that we have listed below are all clumping cultivars.
Bougainvilleas... Lastly, but not least, the brightly coloured bougainvilleas have arrived. These are excellent summer colour. These plants thrive on the hottest and seemingly drier, poorer soils, so for that hot sunny wall that just bakes, then these may be just the ticket. Just remember they don't like the frost so keep them in a warm microclimate that being in town seems to offer. Choose from either the large growing range or the more recent dwarfed Bambino range.
Bambino range
Large varieties
A bit of a Deal on selected Hydrangeas.... Half price
Perfect if you have a dappled light area that you want to mass plant with these easily grown plants.
Lace cap type have the outer row of flowers that almost look like butterflies whirling around.
Be in quick as when they are gone then they are gone. If they are going out on mail order then we will need to cut them back as they are quite large plants.
Dont forget that all roses are 25% of and they are all just starting to flush over
Amazing how the days are starting to slowly shorten, I think that its gone from light at 6 am to something like 6.30ish. I have to say that despite the hot days that relatively its quite cool in the mornings. Keep up the work in the garden and return the layers that should be there when you look at it. We are getting heaps done in ours at the moment.
Think about getting in some of the longer winter crop veges so that they are ready to harvest in the cool months. I'm thinking about getting some brussel sprouts and leaks in for starters.
Kahikatea Homestead
As you will know by now, we have a bed and breakfast here at the nursery called Kahikatea Homestead, which I am happy to say has been very well received by all who have stayed so far. We have had some lovely comments left by our guests and you can see some of these on our website
www.kahikateahomestead.nz The homestead is available as a standalone house for short term stays. This has been a well used option by wedding parties as we are very close to the gorgeous wedding venue 'Woodlands'. It is also a great option for friends who are here visiting who like their own space. We are able to offer options on bed sizes in each of the 3 bedrooms depending on who is staying in them to cater for couples, singles and families. All the added benefits of being on site here at Wairere Nursery are available including access to the nursery gardens.
If you have needs that are different to what is shown on the website then please feel free to message us either through the website or through our newly launched
Kahikatea Homestead facebook page.
We love getting likes, on either our Wairere Nursery or Kahikatea Homestead pages but we love getting loves more so please feel free to use the NEW Love option now offered in facebook! You will find it where the like option usually is on posts, just hold your curser on the Like option and other options now come up.
We have added a new set of links to make it easy for you to view our different websites and facebook pages. They are divided into our 3 different sites - Wairere Nursery, Kahikatea Homestead and Garden Graphix. You can still click the bold type as links to the specific plants and pages we direct you to in the newsletter but for a quick link to the page or site you want then just click on the relevant picture below and you will be taken there.
Cheers
Lloyd, Harry and the Wairere Team
Make it a Wairere weekend where even
GNOMES know that gardening's not a drag
