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Thursday 24th March, 2016

Hi

Get harvesting, go bottling and make jams, jellies and  chutneys 

Phew what a windy few days that its been, that wind yesterday just blew all the trees over in the nursery. Some of the crab apples were just laden with fruit which means that they are kind of top heavy. As I was picking them up I looked at all the different shapes and fruit that they all have.

Ellerslie was one that stood out with really quite beautiful red fruit then there were a few cultivars that are new to me like Professor Sprenger and Prairifire..    then there are a couple of classic like Jelly King and  Profusion all with masses of colourful fruits.  lol a few less now after yesterday!

I always think how cool it is to have a seasonal climate as every season is a different palate of colours. Autumn is full of the hues of oranges, reds and yellows not just in the autumn leaves but the fruits that we can harvest like crab apples which make for the best jelly. Just on that note it always amazes me that yellow crab apples still make pink Jelly.

Floribunda, Profusion, Professor Sprenger, Jelly King, Prairefire, Gorgeous, Ellerslie.

              

Not only are crabs apples taking on the colours but I have been eating the apples of the plants in the nursery as they all slowly start to ripen. Had a splendour of the tree the other day.... you just cant beat the texture and taste of fruit direct from the tree. There is quite a bit of fruit on the ones that we have grown in the bags as I have also picked a Lobo, Winter banana and Royal Gala.

Our three way pear in the potager garden has a huge crop on it again this year too.  We will have to get bottling again which I guess that many of you are doing right now.  

             

Figging delicious

 

When over in Aussie the other month we went to a restaurant and Harry ordered a Haloumi cheese and Fig entree that was just delicious... well to cut to the chase the old boys fig trees is just dripping with ripe figs. When I mean ripe I mean at that stage where they just kind of melt in your mouth and the other night Harry decided to replicate this fig and cheese dish '

You'll have to have a stab at the portion size if you want to try this and we had rather generous sized portions when H made it. 

Take wedges of Haloumi cheese and pan fry with no oil until the outer sides of the cheese are kinda crispy brown. Take a really ripe fig and dress the top of the cheese with it but sort of open it so all the insides show and look tempting. 

Then create a sauce by caramelizing some brown sugar,  honey and fresh thyme leaves and drizzle over the top. Just heaven.  Harry reckons that some grilled bacon on the side would just complete it, maybe make it more of a luncheon dish and without bacon a dinner entree.

Dad fig tree has quite a crop on it this year so we have been having stewed figs as well . I think that another  Haloumi cheese effort is on the cards again when we have some visitors for dinner on Friday night so will post a pic to Face book of the Harry's latest attempt!

          

Whats new in Plants

We have never had a gold leaved Hydrangea before and this one, not surprisingly, called Goldie is just hot .....  such and awesome colour of golden lime green which I would imagine would look just awesome mass planted in a dull somewhat semi shaded area. These colours always make such space just glow.  Like a typical hydrangea perefers a dappled light position and adequate moisture through the summer to keep it happy.

                

Whats arrived in this week ... 

More Camellias in and now I think that we probably have the best range that we have ever had... a huge variety in both grades and cultivars. probably one of my favourite groups of plants  as there is a size,  colour and form for most spots in the garden.

Evergreen Azaleas of the Kurume kind, usually more hardy than some of the other species types. You cant go past the Kirins for hardiness and flower performance.  If you are into the white then take a gander at Mrs Kint White and Hardy gardenia. Tosca is pretty in pink and very robust.   iits not only the evergreens that are in stock but all the Ilams or deciduous azaleas have arrived as well.

         

Rhodos are all out there, best range that we have ever had as well and now all in alphabetical order in the middle of the nursery. you don't realize that there are so many different leaf forms of these very classy flowering shrubs and those that grow into small trees.

Opening Hours 

Easter weekend is here so we will be shut tomorrow  Good Friday the 25th of March but will be open all normal hours for the rest of the long weekend...... Open 8.30 am  to 5.00 pm Saturday, Sunday and Monday 

Mail orders.  unfortunately over the school holidays we are unable to undertake courier mails orders though we are still able to do truck deliveries to Auckland. Just mentioning this in advance, so this will be the weeks of 18/04 and 25/04

Make the most of the long weekend as I think that its nearly the last for a while  though Anzac is still to come 

Think that its meant to be a wet one so maybe in will be an inside weekend. If you are out and about on the roads take care.

Have an awesome Anzac weekend

 

Lloyd, Harry and the Wairere Team

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

Archived by year 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 |

2016 Newsletters...

Picnic....ing in the shade (28th January, 2016)

Wairere Newsletter 5th feb (3rd February, 2016)

To Run or Not to Run... (19th February, 2016)

Wairere Newsletter 02 Mar (1st March, 2016)

Camellia time (11th March, 2016)

Magnolia or Michelia (17th March, 2016)

..... Easter weekend

HW or LW Trees (3rd April, 2016)

Evergreen Trees (13th May, 2016)

All about shrubs (20th May, 2016)

Rose Time (27th May, 2016)

Frosty Friday (3rd June, 2016)

Tiny Camellias (9th June, 2016)

Gorgeous Trees (24th June, 2016)

wet wet wet (1st July, 2016)

Burgundy foliage (8th July, 2016)

Fruit trees abound (15th July, 2016)

Fruit Tree Pruning and Flowering Cherries (21st July, 2016)

Cider apples (29th July, 2016)

August already (4th August, 2016)

wood pigeons (7th August, 2016)

Feed Time (19th August, 2016)

Magnolia's and Cider Apples (20th August, 2016)

its Official (2nd September, 2016)

Spring shrubs (7th September, 2016)

Spring Shrubs2 (7th September, 2016)

Spring Shrubs 2 (7th September, 2016)

Tricky Tasks (16th September, 2016)

climbers (23rd September, 2016)

Wairere Newsletter 23 Sep (23rd September, 2016)

Beards are in vogue (23rd September, 2016)

Gin Oclock (14th October, 2016)

????Kumaras are in (20th October, 2016)

summer is coming (27th October, 2016)

Plants for eating (2nd November, 2016)

November 11 (10th November, 2016)

Hamilton Gardens (17th November, 2016)

Xmas Trees (22nd November, 2016)

Holly (2nd December, 2016)

Xmas Brekkie (9th December, 2016)

Merry Xmas (16th December, 2016)

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