Twenty Years On...................

Hi

Old Fashioned Lilacs

Its Friday! my email newsletter day, today, and as I start  a little google research on Lilacs  it  makes me think about our nursery and the different ranges of plants that we now stock. Its been nearly twenty years ago that we started as a roadside stall specializing in herbs and then roses. It was our aim to have the best range of roses around, well we think we do LOL, and we have just finished potting them all. Since those days we have added an awesome range of Camellias, sourcing far and wide. I just love ornamental trees and so that it made sense that we have a grand range of those as well. In more recent years, growing your own fruit and vege has become really popular and I reckon that we would have one of the best ranges of citrus  peaches, nectarines, apple, plums and more around.  Even down to the grapes, berries and the more obscure fruits that you can grow in our Waikato climate. Check the fruits out here LOL Click

Finally to get to the point there has been a resurgence in really cool shrubs like the deciduous azaleas and yes Syringas.  Now you ask, what  on earth are Syringas, its your grandmothers Lilac shrub tucked away in many older gardens still with beautiful fragrant flowers. Commonly called Lilacs after the colour of pale purple and mauves that is so characteristic of this species.

Now I always learn something new when looking up about plants and found that Lilacs are native to woodland and scrub areas of south eastern Europe and to Eastern Asia. I was also surprised  to learn that Lilacs are in the same family as Olives and Privet and  when you have a close look at their flowers there is a definite similarity in form.

The Genus name  Syringa comes from Greek syrinx, meaning a hollow tube or pipe, and refers to the pith in the shoots of some species,  which is easily hollowed out to make reeds and flutes and has been done since early times.  The wood from lilacs is some of the densest and most durable known and so has traditionally been used for musical instruments, engraving and knife handles.

Now there are a couple of species that have earned their place in our gardens being Syringa vulgaris and S. × persica, because of their, attractive, sweet-smelling flowers. Most garden plants are cultivars, the majority of which do not exceed 4-5 m tall. Between 1876 and 1927, the nurseryman Victor Lemoine of Nancy introduced over 153 named cultivars, many of which are considered classics and still being  produced today. Lemoine's "French Lilacs" extended the limited color range to include deeper, more saturated hues, and he also introduced double-flowered "sports", with the stamens replaced by extra petals.
Lilacs grow most successfully in well-drained soils, particularly those based on chalk. They flower on old wood, and produce more flowers if unpruned.

NEW IN THIS WEEK

Lily Of The Valley Shrub These are excellent fillers for that dappled light spot in the garden with their pretty Lily of the valley like flowers. In true Lloyd style we have quite a few varieties io choose from ( I have to have all the range) being small to those that grow quite large at approx 3 metres. Evergreen and many have vivid red new foliage

Daffodil Tete et tete A fav of mine. I just love these miniature Daffodils and they lend themselves to be grown in a pot. Enjoy them on a table outside where you can see them through the window. Hyacinths are also pretty and stunningly fragrant. I would haver to have them inside where there fragrance will fill the room. If you are keen to have these mail ordered send us an email as one of these can go for only $5.00 courier or if you want two the system will sort the right freight.

Asparagus. Sweet succulent and tender and of course you can grow your own. Now you have to remember that Asparagus is a true perennial and so needs its own spot in the garden. I reckon that if you have the space make a dedicated Asparagus patch.  Plant the crowns now to get well establishe before the summer. As with most perennials the crown will get bigger yielding more spears as the years go past. They love lots of food so feed them. Again let us know as these also can be couriered for $5.00

Raspberries  Found that we had a few more of these than we thought so its still 10 canes for $30.00 but email Rose in the office (accounts@wairere.co.nz ) and she will sort you out and dispatch next wednesday. But its time to get these in the ground as spring is marching on and getting closer and closer.

Well its mid July and its time to make sure that you are on to your winter pruning. Its also a good time to do a winter spray on your roses and fruit trees. If there is one spray to get on its copper and oil, safe to use and will clean up all those nasty bugs that overwinter as spores and eggs. 

Its looking like a wet monday coming so make the most of it if its a fine weekend

Take Care

Cheers, Lloyd and Harry and the team