Friday 27th March, 2020
Hi
It's all a bit surreal... never before have any of us experienced anything in our lives like this.. as basically the country shuts up shop and then literally we shut shop and retrench into our own homes and personal spaces for an unknown amount of time and fingers crossed that it's just the four weeks.
In the days and hours before the deadline we were all as busy as beavers sorting all the last minute chores and details as we settle into a life style that we have never known. The last couple of days were no exception at Wairere as many shopped for plants that were obviously going to be a gardening project at home.
Gardens were obviously on everyone's mind, if we were asked once for vege plants we were asked endlessly. Vege seedlings, or for that matter any seedling or annuals and potted colour, have not been a range that we have here at Wairere but I was so excited to see that perhaps we may see a real resurgence in the passion of growing plants.
I have always been in horticulture from my late teens and so growing plants has been a passion, though mostly in
ornamental trees,
roses and
natives. My dad was the vege gardener and, to be fair, in my youth I didn't take too much notice of this grow your own to eat art (LOL ask me to grow a cloud tree or look after roses instead) but in the last few years I have been pleased to say that I am having a reasonable amount of success. The only comment that I will make is that generally I get too much produce and end up eating the same vege in more meals than I want it in... I mean how many ways can you do Zucchini? If I get stuck, and usually it's about timing, I ask Ian the expert neighbour down the road.
Being isolated at the nursery is not a bad thing. I have heaps of space and other than having no customers, or staff for that matter, there is plenty to do as nothing stops growing and everything still needs care and attention. First up on the list of care are the roses and we (those of us living in my bubble) are in there cutting them back hard so that in 4 to 6 weeks, when hopefully things are back to some sort of norm, they will be looking amazing. This also applies to you at home, cut back your roses now, feed them and if necessary give them the odd spray, then you should get a last flower flush in before the winter. Cut them back a bit like a winter prune or remove most of the last flowering flush leaving around 3 to 4 buds at the base of the flowered shoot to regrow. 3 to 4 buds should result in 3 to 4 new flower stems. Hopefully you have some rose food hidden in the shed to push along the growth.
Last week we touched on these most reliable plants... and sorted the different species, but hey, did you know that there are also different flower types and they all have different names?
The most obvious start would have to be the singles or single flowers and these are quite simple in form with 6 petals and yellow stamens (boy bits) showing. I just adore single flowers and maybe its their simplicity that attracts me and the species Camellia of microphylla is one of my favourites. The sasanqua Setsugekka is another classic single as is Gay Border, Apple Blossom and Plantation Pink.
Formal doubles are pretty cool too and they have their petals all formally layered around with no stamens showing. Early pearly is a top Sasanqua example of this and in pure white... aptly named being one of the first to flower in the Autumn and a good honest pure white. There are quite a few formal doubles but probably mostly found in the species of the Japonicas and hybrids ... check out Dreamboat, E G Waterhouse, Waterlily and K Sawada.
Anenome form flowers are like an outer row of petals with a central button like area of what, if I recall correctly, are petaloids .. these flower forms are pretty neat too and there are quite a few good example of these as well... mansize which refers to being the right size for a button flower for a mans lapel... in case you wondered, Lemon Drop, Jurys Yellow and Brushfield Yellow.
Peony form flowers are those big flouncy flowers that are full with lots of petals and well peony like in shape some of these will steal the show with size and colour check out the likes of Margaret Davis, Debbie and Anticipation
Informal doubles, the name says it all double flowers but not with that formal layered look Silver Dollar, Chansonette and Mine No Yuki.
So yes you can shop online with us, you will just have to wait for us to open again to send it to you. Go to our Camellia pages and cruise through our Camellias online ... you will definitely want check them out as there is such a diverse selection. If there is something there you fancy then the best plan is to purchase now for collection/delivery later or backorder non stocked items for when things return to a time when we can all come out shopping again.
My biggest hope above all is that we can all follow the guidelines and stay in our bubbles, as the government has set out, so that we minimise this period in our lives and come out smelling the roses.
Take this time to get the garden into shape, do some of those changes that you have always wanted to do and plan for the time coming ahead... order ahead from any of our current stock and that which is still coming.
Take care, keep your bubble tight, be kind and make the most of your time at home.
Cheers Lloyd Tony and the Wairere team
