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Friday 13th May, 2016
Hi
That chook from last weeks email( the one that had 24 eggs ) turned out to be the lousiest of mother hens..... I think that Harry had to help most of the chickens out of their shells. She just didn't seem to know how to keep the hatched ones warm and help the later arrivals out of their shells so under a heat lamp the babies went. Harry left her with a couple of chick just to keep in her mind that she was actually a mother but no these were also destined to have a chilly start to life.
The answer was to fence the chook into a corner with all the chickens.... set up a lead and heat lamp in the same space so that if the poor little chickens were left in the cold then they had a lamp to keep them warm.. I just hope that we get more hens than roosters than we did in the last clutch of eggs that Harry helped to adolescence.
Its still amazingly warm for this time of year and I reckon that we really could do with some decent rain but hey those leaves still keep falling. I keep raking them up, as little and often is way easier than a big clean up and it is only once a year. The trees do so much for us, they break the westerly winds, provide all important shade through the summer and just give the garden centre so much visual appeal. I tell the team that its like housekeeping.... one always has to keep dusting surfaces and raking the leaves is no different LOL
When you need an evergreen tree ....consider
In my opinion deciduous trees (ones that lose their leaves) have such awesome forms and structures that are laid bare when they are naked in the winter. I think that trees that lose their leaves tend to make better shade trees and of course they let the light through in the winter. Quite different from evergreen trees that tend to look heavier and denser.
Its always harder to think of evergreen trees for clients as often these are only available as smaller plants and usually not as tree like from the beginning.
The most obvious evergreen trees that spring to mind are the Magnolias that don't lose their leaves in the Autumn ie Grandiflora.... the grandifloras are distinct with brown velvet on the leaf underside and the form of the tree does tend to be quite spreading creating quite a nice shade tree. Ferruginea is a cultivar of these with attractive more limey green leaves where as another form called Blanchard has quite the darkest leaf with gorgeous dark brown velvet on the underside. Little Gem is also a grandiflora form that has been quite popular due to its smaller stature suitable for those smaller gardens. this one also has quite dark green leaves and dark velvet brown on the underside. A customer told me how impressed he was with Little Gem as he had put them on his coastal property in full westerly wind and they were performing superbly.
Teddy bear is another smaller grandiflora form that we have at the nursery which has lighter coloured foliage than Little gem and the leaves have quite a cute slight twist in appearance. All of the above have fragrant white flowers and I always imagine the solid green of these magnolias contrasted with perhaps light limey green leaved trees, be they deciduous or evergreen, could look quite cool together.
I have to mention the Michelias here too as these are now reclassified as Magnolias and also make for great evergreen trees with quite lime green foliage and white fragrant flowers. There are many cultivars and species that are available these days. There are forms that grow into large trees and others that will fit the bill for those smaller sections.
On the subject of evergreen trees I just love the Gordonias that have a flower that look like a fried egg sunny side up. Not surprisingly these belong to the same family as Camellias and will grow into a small multi trucked tree that has distinctive shaped leathery leaves that are not too dissimilar from camellias. Gordonia Axillaris is the original one that I know well but we also have another one at the nursery... species Yunnanensis called Moonlight magic whose foliage is grey green and the flowers are larger single white blooms with yellow stamens again looking just like a huge fried egg!!! I have posted a lovely pic of Axillaris's first bloom of the season on our facebook page.
I can't write a piece on evergreen trees and not include Camellias and Rhodos as some of these plants could be included as smaller evergreen trees around approx 3 to 5 metres. The Camellia species Reticulata and its cultivars will mostly grow to small tree stature... I am particularly fond of the Retic's as they have much larger foliage and longer inter-nodal space between the leaves than most of the other camellia species and then there are the flowers.... my oh my are they ever huge.. to sum up Retic's are generally much larger overall than other Camellias.
There are also species Camellias like Tsaii and Salicifolia that also grow into quite handsome specimans but in comparison to the Retic's are very lacy like in form and have petite classic species like flowers however, given long enough, Sasanquas and Japonicas will also reach small tree heights.
In the Rhodos you need to check our Elegans, Sir Robert Peel and Fastuosum Flore Pleno as ones that will grow to larger proportions in a shorter time frame though given time many Rhodos can grow to some good heights.
Something that is a tad different for a small evergreen tree, and I never know why more don't consider it, but that is citrus trees. These could be lemons, oranges, grapefruit and Tangors... Why? Well they usually grow to approximately 4 to 6 metres, are evergreen, have delicious fragrant white flowers followed by coloured fruit that is really ornamental looking and off course you get to eat the fruit.
Finally there are many NZ natives that form evergreen trees and the NZ oak or Titoki is quite popular with its evergreen oak like lime green foliage. Reasonably slow growing but will ultimately form a large tree. At certain times of the year will have a brownish nut like fruit with a brilliant red seed inside which looks quite funky.
What deals this week ????
Brunnera Sea heart and Silver heart... these silver leaved, ground cover like plants, are really good for growing in some of those more difficult shaded positions. Plant them in combination with say a mass planting of winter roses for a stunning foliage contrast. Chunky plants which are normally $17.99 these now just $12.99
Pittosporum Little Anita.... is one of those cute little pittos that grow a bit like the golfballs in that they almost grow wider than high. trim to keep it nicely rounded and bushy. Ang spied these full and busy plants that would normally be $24.99 and she has marked them out at just $15.99
Titoki's... Alectryon Excelsus, handsome evergreen trees with lime green oak leaf like foliage. Check these out.... $39.99 now just $24.99
Roses still to clear out as new seasons are just around the corner... all at 50% discounted. Includes all remaining bushes, standards, pillers and 1.8 weepers.
Selected pots all at half the marked price mostly glazed pots but these are not on the web so call in and check these out
What's happening in the garden....
Clean up time, tidy all those old hosta leaves back and all the perennials that have finished for the season... the ones that look all stalky and will grow again from the base.
Leave all the roses alone so if they are in flower now don't even dead head but let them set seed. If they are looking scruffy and finished flower you could spray them with lime sulphur to help them lose their leaves and harden the wood off. Don't even think about winter pruning until June/ July.. the weather has to get cold enough so that the roses don't regrow.
Trim all those external hedges so that they look sharp all winter
Buxus hedges spray with copper oxychloride to help protect against the Buxus blight. Be careful with trimming of these hedges as you don't want to promote soft growth in the winter that will be more susceptible to the Buxus blight.
Keep the garden weeded and then mulch to suppress the weed through the remainder of Autumn and winter
Plan for pruning in the depths of winter when its cold... usually July but prior to spring growth, especially roses and fruit trees.
Its amazing how fast these weekends come around or is that a sign of getting busier (or perhaps just older) that time goes so quickly... Its been a full week as we have to get the centre of the nursery empty and ready for the onset of the new seasons roses. A sad week as we lost our dear old schnauzer who has cruised around the nursery for the past 14 odd years. A dear dog who had the loveliest of natures and also our sorrel Abyssinian cat who has ruled the roost for just as many years.. Holly the schnauzer and Magenta the cat were also the best of friends keeping each other company over the years.
Its perfect gardening and planting weather so get stuck in as its always so much nicer when the garden is warm and dry as the weather will definitely change soon.
What ever your plans.......
Have a great weekend, cheers
Lloyd, Harry and the Wairere Team
Make it a Wairere weekend where even GNOMES know that gardening's not a drag
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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 (24th March, 2016)
HW or LW Trees (3rd April, 2016)
..... Evergreen Trees
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: