Roses are about to bloom!!

Hi

 

THE CHOOK FINALE

Its great when the egg flow is all on and in our basket we have a delightful mix of large and small eggs that range from that gorgeous greenie blue through fawn and browns and into clear white. They all seem to be on roll with the egg production though perhaps not all in the nesting boxes as they should. We always seem to have a few elusive ones that manage to free range through the nursery and find their own special place to lay those eggs
H spied this one that found a nice possie in the middle of one of our display tables, problem is that every day once she had laid her egg, those egg layings cackles always gave away her spot, much to my amusement. There is a plus and that is those few free range chooks must help keep our slug population down in the garden centre. Though on the odd occasion they have been known to eat the lettuce plants for sale

               

ROSES
That rain that we had last weekend has really pushed our roses along. Combined with these stunningly beautiful warm sunny days, you can almost see them grow. They have even started to flower and my guess is that in a week to three there will be heaps of colour and a sight to be seen. LOL 8000 roses in bloom just has to be seen.  With this wet weather you will need to watch out for both downy mildew and black spot, If you want to minimise spraying then do a preventative spray before rain lows come across and then another spray once the rain has gone to clear up any infection. then you wont have to spray again until the next low.

Watch out for those pesky aphids and if you have a small population of them, do two or three close sprays as they can breed up very rapidly. They can give birth to live young without the need of a male and that s no good for your roses.

FLOWERING CHERRIES

             
I know that I keep going on about flowering cherries but I have to tell you about ours. H planted a line of Prunus Awanui as an avenue and they looked just amazing this year as they highlight the main path through the garden centre.  We also have a line of Accolades and they are now in full flower. I see around town that the other flowering cherries are starting to put it out there too, ie Shimidsu sakura and Mt Fuji.  Mountain ice is a new one to me and we planted some of these in our garden a couple of years ago and they have been stunning too, just like a white Awanui!!

SPRING SALE Highlights and starts this week

Buxus from $2.00

Camellia stds from half price

Griselinia hedging from 6.99

Raspberry plants $5.00

Topiary plants 1/2 price and at marked prices

Potted plants in antiqued pots

Magnolias and Maples selected  1/2 price

Dare I mention Christmas Shopping

Antiqued Pots, we have all these at half price, put them away for christmas presents or pot them up with herbs or potted colour!

              

Lytteltons Apricot Macaroon Cake
Dad made this most amazing cake the other day, came home to find it in our pantry. Apparently the recipe was in a copy of the Woman's weekly. If you like Louise cake then youll love this one and  I reckon that this would make a great dessert cake!!!

Cake
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup tinned Apricots
225g butter softened
1 cup  (250g) castor sugar
4 medium eggs
150 g self raising flour
70 g ground almonds (one packet)
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
2 tbsp milk

Topping
3 egg whites
½ cup caster sugar
1 ½ cups dessicated coconut

Cake
 Blitz the drained tinned apricots in a food processor and then mix with the finely chopped dried Apricots to soften them.

Cream butter and sugar together and when fluffy start adding the eggs one at a time with a little of the flour to stabalise, fold in the remaining flour almonds zest and milk.

Spoon half the mixture into a 23cm spring form cake tin (if you have one) that has been previously lined with baking paper and sides greased. Smooth this layer and add the apricot mixture, then top with the remaining cake mix in spoonfuls over the apricots and smooth out gently.

Topping
Whip egg white until stiff, add sugar and beat then fold in the coconut and spread this mixture on top of the cake

Cook for 60 to 70 mins  in 180 C oven or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from oven loosen and cool in tin.

WHATS GOING ON OUT THERE.

These garden related events are all coming up so mark your calenders and contact the organisers  Directly  re tickets etc

Sunday 6 November:   Dio Day Out             9am - 4pm     "A Dio Day Out:  Featuring stunning gardens and inspiring artwork, in both grand country settings and small suburban spaces.

Guided tours of the beautiful grounds of Waikato Diocesan School, catered venues for lunch or a relaxing coffee, art on display and for sale  CONTACT  diodayout@gmail.com

Friday 11 November : Fine Homes Tour      9.30 - 3.30pm     The Fine Homes Tour 2011 has become a high profile biennial waikato funder raiser, this year the funds raised will be shared by the Waikato Family Centre and Alzheimers Waikato. A fun day out where you get to see inside some of hamiltons finest homes   CONTACT  www.finehomestour.co.nz

 

Get your diary out and start planning, Melbourne would have to be one of my favourite Australian cities to visit and what better event to team it up with than the flower show

Melbourne flower Show 29th march to 01 April  A three day package in Melbourne escorted by Anthony Skinner, Wairere's acclaimed garden designer, includes accomodation transfers, breakfasts, entry to the melbourne flower show and various gardens. Full details will be available in November but you could register initial interest with Denise Fowler at denisefowler@thetravelbrokers.co.nz

                                                                        

Its time to move some stock so come on out and check our sale and have a fun school Holidays with the kids.

 

Cheers,

Lloyd and Harry

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