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Saturday 28th October, 2023

Hi

Bright Spring colours In Hagley park
Of course, there was way more to Hagley Park than just the beautiful trees and when walking around we came across a delightful rose and perennial garden by the hospital. They had cleverly taken old climbing roses like say Rambling Rector and trained it up and over a very substantial post and steel column, thus making the climber into a tree like effect leaving the ground underneath for planting. I guess you could take many a climber and do the same, though old climbers can be quite rampant and a pillar rose, or a 1.8 weeper could create the same effect in the home garden but smaller scale.
These rose gardens were jam packed with other bush roses, perennials of all sorts and styles for sun and shade and we spent quite a bit of time enjoying the spring growth imagining what the garden was going to look like in another week or so. The more traditional rose garden was still one or two weeks away from being in bloom, though on that note there is plenty of colour happening in our roses in the garden centre here.
We also discovered an area of deciduous azaleas that were just looking stunning. and if you like bright colours like yellows, oranges, and reds then these are for you. A fav of mine being Nicholas Beets was in full flower when we left home, looking absolutely hot in scorching yellow and so it was way cool to see these deciduous azaleas looking amazing with full flower in Hagley Park.
Ilam, Mollis, Knaphill and Exbury azaleas are all different references to what really should just all be lumped in together and called deciduous azaleas. It would appear that the name Ilam comes from those that were bred in that suburb of Christchurch and likely using some material from the Knaphill/Exbury hybrids. Some refer to them as Mollis Azaleas and these are a particular cross between the species Molle and Japonicum. Today there are many hybrids with quite mixed genetics and it's probably easier just to refer to them all as deciduous Azaleas, probably not unlike roses. 

 
So it makes sense that Hagley park boasts a great range of these deciduous Azaleas which incidentally belong to the wider genus of Rhododendrons and evergreen azaleas. Interestingly enough the Rhodo genus are labelled as dappled light or semi shade plants and I find that all the plants in this family are tolerant to quite well-lit positions and I often think that many plant them in too heavy a shade positions. I have also read that Deciduous azlaeas are more tolerant of heavier soils than their counterpart Rhodo's and evergreen azaleas which can't abide wet feet. 
The other trick to these is to trim them directly after flowering to maintain size if you want them to re-flower the following season and that goes for all of the rhododendron genus. Pruning Rhodo's and azaleas is not like roses, and they can be cut anywhere and they will regrow from there. I was fascinated by a bed of these in Hagley Park that almost looked like they had been treated like a bedding plant and it was a total blaze of colour. They looked like they had all been cut back to the same size and had grown to flower en masse this spring.
Some brighter colours or check them all out here

 
Azalea "Ilam" Ming An outstanding deciduous Azalea that produces large, luscious, vivid golden-orange blooms with a yellow flare.  The blooms are scented and appear in early spring.
Azalea "Ilam" Melford Lemon If you like yellow you will love this deciduous Azalea that has glowing spring blooms in tones of lemon and saffron yellow all highlighted with an apricot flare. The blooms have the added bonus of being lightly scented.
Azalea Tangerine pompom The name says it all as this deciduous Azalea has tight pom pom blooms in shades of glowing tangerine that are delicately scented.
Some softer colours or check them all out here 
Azalea Sunray Such a pretty deciduous Azalea with soft apricot, double flowers that appear during November. The flowers are not just easy on the eye your nose will be pleased with the delightful fragrance.
Azalea Soft lights This is a really pretty deciduous Azalea with enormous blooms in a soft cream shade with just a gentle glow of pastel pink. The double blooms appear in late spring.
Azalea Barbacue A medium ball shaped truss of a soft but rich salmon-apricot orange with deeper salmon markings, usually with a doubled centre. A very popular colour and a smaller growing compact plant.
Just arrived this week, though so much is happening right now its difficult to choose what to write about!!
Rhodohypoxis.  Common name rose grass, these are the ultimate plant for a shallow dish/pot or of course in a rockery style garden. I just happen to see that my mother neighbour had a couple of pots of these flowering their heads off right now. A mini plant that looks a little like grass with pointed small leaves but when in flower you don't see any green.
Rhodohypoxis Baurii, Large White,  Rhodohypoxis Baurii Pink, Rhodohypoxis Baurii Tall Red. Starry white, pink or red flowers respectively.

 
Peonies. There has been a new batch of these arrive in and mostly all coming up to flower. Great plants and selection to choose from.
Geraniums. Nothing better for summer colour in pots as these just love the sun and the drier conditions of this season. So if we believe the weather experts that we are getting a hot dry summer then now's the time to get these established. These are up online so check them out. 

 
Daisies. are always reliable for summer colour and great filler where you need something a bit showy. Trim to keep bushy and if the flowers slow, they will be back on board with a full flush in around 6 to 7 weeks. Again, a full sun plant.
Hostas. are up there for me, but a bit like maples that go from being naked or nothing to those fabulous leaves and in all shades, colours, shapes and sizes. Dont forget that these leafy perennials also have long stems of very pretty flowers in shades of white to mauves and almost purples Hosta's  look great planted in large drifts and again some of them are more light tolerant liking dapple light rather than heavy shade. Hosta's do like more moist rich soil than being on the dry side. Here are a few of my favs but check them all out by following the links.

 
Hosta Mini Green Dainty little green leaves on a dwarf plant no more than 12cm high. Mauve flowers. Excellent for edging. 
Hosta Patriot A dramatic large leafed Hosta that eventually forms a bold clump of wavy green foliage edged strongly in white.  In summer stems of mauve bell shaped flowers stand above the foliage
Hosta Hadspen Blue  A lovely little Hosta with the most gorgeous blue-green foliage of good substance.  In summer spikes of pale lavender flowers stand above the foliage.  
Astilbes like a similar position to Hosta's in that they like dapple light and a moist spot in the garden. again left to naturalize in a large drift will give a dramatic display when in flower check these cultivars out.
Proteas  25% off , no more until next year.

 
Great plants and a discount too. I'm thinking that I will have a look and perhaps add some of these to our picking garden as I do love the flowers of Proteas. Plant these in the full sun, they do like perfect drainage and are happy in poor soils. How often do we say that huh!. Don't use phosphate ferts but they will respond to some organic matter. Trim hard after flowering to keep them bushy and tidy.
Pick 5 roses and pay for 4 get get the lowest price one free 
This is the time to come and check these out and grab yourself a deal at the same time. On the whole they are mostly all coming up to flower right now and so if you are one that like to check out the colours and shades then now is the time. The plants themselves are looking fabulous.

 
Going away for a weekend is kind of like a bushman's holiday and you always looking at nature and plants and of course learn and see new things. I have to share the other great highlights of my weekend away was the magnificent bush section of the red beech tree Nothofagus fusca. Just to keep us on our toes has had a name change to being Fuscopora fusca. 
Then there was an area of our very own tree fuchsia, and these were just gorgeous as they were just leafing up again and had some flowers. It was the sheer size of these that was amazing as the trunks may have been bigger than I could wrap my arms around with that typical peeling bark. Not bad for a Fuchsia to get that size and contemplated that there can't be many possums here as they love the Fuchsia. Then there was quite a few areas that I spied what I think was one of the mini NZ native clematis with the tiny creamy greenish flowers.
I know that when I go away and look at nature and again what others do in the garden it just inspires me for when I get home thinking, Oh I could do that or change that. Which reminds me to remind you that there are several garden tours on this weekend coming and the following and I imagine that it's not too late to grab tickets and get yourself in the right parts of NZ.
The gardens are looking glorious right now as is the garden centre, the growth  in the few days that I was away is unbelievable and the roses are looking stunning and so if you are looking for some inspiration or just some time out, come for a wander through our garden and around the nursery. 
My mothers birthday to day lol and I'm not saying how big it is but I need to get busy to make a cake. The Harwood late oranges in my garden are just starting to be ready now and so its an Annabel Langbein orange Egyptian cake with almond flour to be made. Too easy to make which is why I make it and its yum though the longest part is simmer the oranges for a couple of hours.
Have a fabulous weekend!
Cheers from Lloyd, Tony and the Wairere team

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Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: