Get that garden back into shape!!!

Hi

Changes in the garden

I have had this hankering to change some areas in the garden and as such have started with a piece just as you drive into the car park. It always looked messy and the plants that were meant to be ground covers had grown to nearly one and half metres high and wide. Off course once I had started taking stuff out, then more needed to come out and I rediscovered where the small stream comes out from under the car park.  A bit more came out and you can actually look across into the garden and the whole area has now lent itself to being re planted again.
It's all about getting those layers, so now the trees have been lifted or limbed up to allow another layer to come through and of course a lower ground cover layer to complete the picture.  It's a dappled light area and so I have used deciduous azaleas for their amazing bright colours, small shrubby camellias to give solid evergreen foliage, winter roses (Helleborus) and our own native Renga renga lilies to cover the ground and make it all very low maintenance.  I haven't completed the project just yet but will need to get onto it as time just keeps moving on.

It's a good time to get those plants into the garden if you are planning a project so that they make for good strong root growth. Its also time to get a move on if you are planning to shift anything cause once the plants buds have made a move, its too late and the chances of losing the plant are high. If you are looking for some professional advice to redo a piece of garden or even have a new place that you would like a garden concept for then we do have a garden designer "Anthony" that forms part of the team here at the Nursery. He has many years of experience, several design awards and is an acclaimed painter(artist). Check Anthony out on his web site at www.gardengraphix.co.nz

Roses
Pruning need to have been done before the roses come into leaf. Everyone makes a big song and dance about the technicalities of pruning but it's really quite a simple task!  Removal of dead or diseased wood is the first step. Second step is to cut back the flowered shoots and I usually count approx 4 buds (or abouts 8 to 10cm) up from the rose bush structure assuming that you have cut them back after each flowering flush as it has happened. Look at what is left and if the main structure has flowered for a number of years and there is a new young thing to take its place, then do it and remove the old one.  Finally look to open the bush out so that you have a nice shape. If I can say one important thing: the harder that you cut the rose back, the less flowers that the bush will have. A dose of Copper Oxychloride and Conqueror oil after pruning will be a good tonic and over the next 2 to 3 weeks make sure that you feed them with some good rose fertiliser.

Fruit and Nuts

The range is just awesome at the moment and its a good time to get them in. If you planning a small orhard where you can grow your own fresh fruit then check this link out

Thank you

Thank you to everyone that took the time to reply to our survey last week, The reponse has been over whelming and will help us better our website. I'll have to keep the ole boy in the house up front cooking and trying different recipes to pass on.

For whats left of the weekend make sure thats its good one and heres to next week!

Have a good weekend!

Cheers,

Lloyd and Harry

Make it a Wairere weekend where gardenings not a drag!!!!!