Friday 22nd February, 2019
Hi
What is to be done in February when its hot and dry and well, relatively quiet? Let me tell you that there is always a task and a project and have we ever been on to them this year and it is thanks to an amazing team who share the same standards and vision that we do. As I mentioned last week, every table that needed a repaint has been done. The sign stands that we call puddings and I have no idea why, lol, as they are a big lump of concrete, in a pot, at the end of a stake. These have also had their standard lifted with a new look and now match the tables as they are painted all black. The office building, villa, shop and Petes cottage have all been washed and sprayed with ripcord so that they don't spend the rest of the year festooned with spider webs with the added bonus of reducing annoying flies and cockroaches. I'm thinking that our next projects may be propagation and division of plants.
If I say so myself the place is looking amazing even though its been so hot and dry.We have even managed to keep enough water on the plants as they are looking pretty good. I find it fascinating that many people don't understand that the average plant probably finds the intense heat and dryness as difficult and tiring as people and animals do. Often this is reflected in leaves looking stressed and typically flower size (in roses and other ornamental flowering plants) is quite diminished and flower colour can often be much lighter shades than the spring flowering. Never mind, Autumn is on its way and and moisture and less intense light will result in another flower flush which will look much better!
Stressed leaves can show symptoms of brown edges, some curling and some trees will actually drop their leaves early. Silver birch, for example, in efforts to prevent more water loss, as its the roots that take up water, the leaves transpire, well breathe out I guess. I am hoping that is what my established Cercis Forest Pansy in my garden is doing right now. If you think about it the leaves of deciduous plants are just showing wear and tear that is appropriate with age, we are now on the way to Autumn and they are only designed to last the year then fall.
Plants have all evolved to suit different environments and we have a very nice range of Coprosmas in stock right now and it sparked the memory that Coprosma are quite tolerant of dry conditions. I vaguely remembered some stuff that I was taught about the stomata (breathing holes) of Coprosma being located only on the underside of their leaves so as to conserve moisture loss.
If I remember correctly in Coprosma these gaseous exchange structures are also quite distinct in form and thought that I would google this to be a tad more precise but it was way to complicated for this lad today. Suffice to say these shiny leaf plants do like those hot, dry and sunny positions. I imagine that the typical shiny upper leaf is also a control in water loss and this is why the green native form performs well in coastal positions.
There are many fancy hybrids with really attractively coloured, shiny leaves which will suit a sunny garden, contrast their foliage with other shrubs. Coprosma respond well to being kept trimmed and are quite tolerant of a good hacking. There are quite a few Coprosma repens hedges leading up to the L & P bottle in Paeroa that have been there for many years so hedge them, trim them, use them as stunningly coloured garden plants.
Check out
Evening Glow A fabulous foliage plant with clean shiny foliage that has golden tones in summer. As autumn approaches and the temperatures drop the foliage gradually changes to tones of deep orange and fiery red.
Golden Glow With year round interest, this great little shrub has golden summer tones with splashes of lime green and orange which intensify in the winter. Excellent for small hedges, group plantings or for adding colour contrast.
Golden Star Golden Star has been bred in New Zealand for our conditions and has been selected for its earth golden tones that will fit in any garden situation. Stays tidy and compact.
Inferno Set your garden on fire with this outstanding foliage shrub. The rich deep orange, red and pink hues of the summer foliage deepen to deep red for the winter. Very striking.
Karo Red A great little shrub with glossy dark red foliage that looks good all year round. Use for contrast planting in the shrubbery or as a hedge with a difference. Loves to be clipped.
Lemon n Lime An attractive NZ Native, foliage shrub with small glossy leaves in shades of lemon, lime and green. The colour will intensify in winter. Use as a back-ground plant or for hedging.
Normally we have Peonies available as potted plants but this year thought that we would offer up these quality packaged plants for you to plant prior to winter. Generally a perennial for the cooler areas but have many that want to give these awesome flowers a shot in the garden... choose the coldest position that you can but ensure that they still have really good light. Our friends in Rotorua have the most amazing display of peonies every year.
These peonies are going to be available toward the end of Feb beginning of Mar, they are $29.99 each and you can have up to 5 freighted for just $8 freight to either Island. Nice selection of reds, pinks and white. All are 3-5 eye tubers. You can order these from Cathie's
Online Only page. We have to have our order in by 28th Feb so if you are wanting these peonies, get your orders in quickly, you have only 6 days to order them.
About to be released at start of March Hebe Regal William and Hebe Regal Louis. Expected to be available mid march. Catherine, Charlotte and George from the Regal series are also available for preordering now so we can ensure we have all your needs covered.
These cuties are new to us as well. and from the Aussie stable of new plants, so much so that I had to ask Kim about them and how they were going to perform. I imagine that they will give endless flowering but possibly are a half hardy perennial somewhat like Marguerite daisies, geraniums and the like choose from just two colours pink and violet.
If you were to ask me what a favourite flower of mine would be then echinacea, or cone flower, would have to be up there. I don't know what it is about them but I just adore these perennials. Moodz is a new range to me and apparently have form that is bushier but still have that overwhelming display of blooms that attract the butterflies, monarch included.
The Sales area is looking well worth a visit
Considering we are at the high point of summer and with the temperatures you would expect plants to be looking tired from this heat and dryness. I have to say our roses have done amazingly well looking good throughout and just walking round them I noticed that the standard icebergs are looking superb with a new flush coming in from their trim. If you are after some
Iceberg standards then now is the time to get some nice looking plants. Of course we still have a good range of other standards available too and don't forget that all our roses are currently discounted. The rain is predicted for this weekend so keep your fingers crossed, we just had a sprinkling, I'm hoping that wasn't all of it. How good would it be getting a good dose of rain just as we head into the autumn which is officially here in 6 more days.
Selected fruit trees are all 30% off! Cherries off all remaining stock and this includes both
ornamental and
fruiting varieties.
Peaches, Plums and
Pears all varieties of these as well. Check out our pollination guides in the
How To section to see if you need a pollination partner for your trees.
Euoynmus hedging $9.99 or buy 10 or more for $9.00 each and there are bulk buy options on the $14.99 grade as well. Euonymus is a very good buxus replacement option if you are looking for a small evergreen hedge that looks great clipped.
The above are just a small indication of what is on sale at the nursery, stop in and grab a bargain.
We have had a couple of showers so far today but not enough to put any real Mls in the rain gauge, I think that they are still forecasting some decent rain for the weekend but I have to say that until it actually happens I'm loath to turn off the irrigation. Admittedly if the day is overcast then the plants water requirement does actually lessen... thank goodness for an automatic setting that we can say to the system to water at a changed percentage.
Where does the year go Feb is just about done and dusted and we're only a week away from Autumn... The days are so much shorter but I have to sayc that super moon had me confused when I woke in the night as to whether it was morning or not and they say there is another brighter than normal full moon coming..
I have to look out for tomatoes as I want to roast a whole heap with basil and then puree and bottle them but outdoor grown tomatoes seem to be tricky to find these days.
I'm looking forward to the weekend, hope you all are too, have to go now there is housework to be done LOL
Have an awesome weekend
cheers
Lloyd, Harry and the Wairere Team
