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Thursday 16th March, 2017
Hi
Tis the season for Camellias !!!
It's been a very quiet week... even all the team have been saying how quiet it has been ... you guessed it Harry has been away! The crew here have all been saying "When is Harry going to be back?" Harry has been over in the land of Oz to visit his best friend, being there for her at a time when they both sadly, have lost a mutual friend...
It's so nice that he had the opportunity to go and spend time with his nearest and dearest!
This is the Camellias season for us and it's the one time of year that all the new camellias become available. Last week I wrote of the production of Camellia plants and of the approx. four years it takes to make these wonderful healthy plants, which all become available for sale in March and April annually. Once certain cultivars are sold then there will be no more of that particular variety until next year.
While Harry was away we have been beavering away making space for all these new Camellias and getting them all into the nursery. It's a bit of a trick as they all have to be in alphabetical order and even put away according to size. Small cultivars and grades can't be hidden among the taller varieties as they then don't get enough light... the really small ones have their own spot too. Click our FB page here for the link to view the new seasons plants.
If you are calling out to the nursery, the Camellias are not all in their usual place but down the other way by the offices. We get all the Camellias there, then filter them eventually back into their normal place in the garden centre below the flowering cherries.
Camellias big and small...... Size matters...
It is interesting but my guess is that most have a mental image in their head about what a Camellia looks like
I can hear it now, large flowers that make a mess, big green bushy shrubs, but wait there is so much variety and individualism in this Genus. A bit like people really, they come in every shape and size...!! There are just so many variations in leaves, flower, etc
There is probably two main species that we have many cultivars of and obviously there is going to be many similarities between these which we can generalise about.
These are :
Sasanquas usually have smaller leaves and flowers than say the Japonicas, and a more open habit; mostly flower in the Autumn. Flowers of Sasanquas often have some fragrance although you may have to go up to the bloom and sniff.
Japonicas are what I guess most perceive as the typical Camellia and these have the classic larger leaf and usually larger flower. Their habit tends to be much denser and bushier and this species generally flower in the early spring. You should almost be able to look at the leaves and pick a Sasanqua from a Japonica.
But the largest of all the Camellias are the Reticulatas which are kinda like a supersize Camellias. Everything about them is, well just bigger... They have the largest leaves and the length between the leaves is way longer than the Japonicas for example. Even the stems on the young plants is more woody that others and the flowers are just huge.
We are all looking for those smaller evergreen trees but mostly don't think of using a camellia and a Reticulata would do the job admirably. Don't over-look the Camellia! with their attractive leaves and the bonus of stunning flowers. Removing the lower branches as it grows, the Camellia will form a lovely dome shaped tree.
Dr Clifford Parks is a classic with bold, bright and beautiful, large, semi-double scarlet blooms that will brighten up any garden through dull winter months. Attractive large serrated green foliage. Very hardy and vigorous. Evergreen. Multi Award Winner.
Lovely lady.. This stunning Camellia is very well named. The huge, soft pink, formal, double flowers decorate the robust growing shrub and will make a statement in any garden. Use as a feature accent plant and allow the space to let it shine. evergreen.
Congratulations The NZ breeders of this simply beautiful Camellia certainly deserve our congratulations. Pale orchid-pink, formal flowers with unique wavy petals that are thick and textured dress the bush from mid winter through to mid spring. Self grooming. Evergreen. PVR.
Valentine day Reticulata Hybrid. This is an outstanding, award-winning hybrid that has very large salmon pink double flowers that appear from mid winter through to mid spring. Very attractive and a strong grower. Evergreen.
By absolute contrast these are the smallest of Camellias and they are probably not a species in their own right but rather hybrids pooling genes from other species to be so diminutive. When I mean tiny I really mean tiny and Baby bear is such a sweet little thing. I have a gorgeous example Baby bear in my garden and 30 years later is no bigger than one metre high.
There are so many uses for SMALL CAMELLIAS from being good pot subjects, to mass planting and little hedges in shaded gardens
Then there are other hybrids that have been chance seedlings resulting in a little beauty like the following:
little Gem .. Now little gem will grow into an almost formal classic ball shape. Compact dense and almost the perfect sphere or ball shape without the need to clip. pretty white flowers will complete the picture.
Sweet Emily Kate is another real goodie! A pretty pink peony style flowers and lighter coloured green foliage with the new growth have some reddish tones
Itty bit is out of the Jury stable with the sweetest soft pink flowers, slow growing reaching approx 1 metre in height
Moonlight Magic as its name suggests with attractive open white flowers, and small dimensions despite its J Japonica like leaves. Foliage is a good solid bright green.
Dr Colin Crisp has almost waxy white flowers that are semi double with glowing golden stamens that are displayed over awesome dark green foliage. another one that will get to approx one metre.
Quintessence has scented pale blush white flowers are carried on a small growing but cascading bush and is an excellent for growing in a pot.
Plant Watch
For the florists out there or those that like berries in the garden
Callicarpa dichotoma or chinese beauty berry. This shrub grows to two metres high approximately and is prized for having clusters of the most attractive tiny purple berries all the way up its stems. Grow where you have a bit of space so that you get masses of stems for floral work
Bearded Irises... we have just divided all of ours in the potager garden so now there are a few gaps for some new ones. If you are in the same position then check out the irises that we have as Rhizomes at $10.99 a piece or even get a couple or more at just $9.99 each
Louisana Irises... well these are a bit cool and come from the flood planes of Louisana so that means that they will tolerate wet feet or grow on the edges of water ways and the flowers are really quite special. I have these around the edges of our ponds and they really throw a splash of colour there in the spring.
Roses Last of this years are all half price to clear them right out. Still in good condition so come out and check them out and full a few gaps in your garden. $29.99 each these just $15.00 now. If we don't have what you are after then now is the time to order.
Peaches and Nectarines all now half price... we need the space so need to clear these also. Trees are in our sales area down the hill; from $20.00 each these are not on the web, so you will need to call in and check what's available.
Plumbago white, great plants with attractive white flowers grow on its own or get a few for an economic hedge normally $14.99 these just $7.99
Tibouchina or Lasiandra.... stunning summer flowering in vivid purpleloves the heat and the sun so grow in a warm well drained position $14.99 these plants just $9.99
New Zealand Natives .. Check out this selection of natives from $6.99 now just $5.99
Festucca Banks peninsula, Kanuka or Kunzea ericoides is similar in habit to the tea tree, also with white flowers, with slightly finer leaves. Nice plants at just $6.99 down to $5.99 or get 20 at $5.00 each
Tea tree: Leptospermum scoparium the native single white flowering one is back in stock ... we sold out of these last time. Nice plants at 40/50 cm high, were $6.99 own to $5.99 each or 20 or more for $5.00
Griselinia broadway mint .. a new grade in 50/70 cm, just $9.99 each or buy 10 or more for just $9.00
What a stunning week its been after all that rain and hopefully its going to be a corker weekend so you can all get into the garden. The team have spent time in our potager this week and its looking amazing, check out these facebook pics. They have even divided all the irises this year so I'm looking for a bounty of flag irises next spring. Check this pic out of them nicely divided in the garden.
Have a great weekend
Lloyd, Harry and the Wairere Team
Make it a Wairere weekend where even GNOMES know that gardening's not a drag
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2017 Newsletters...
1st one for 2017 (26th January, 2017)
Grapefruit (2nd February, 2017)
Party time (10th February, 2017)
17 Feb (17th February, 2017)
Asteraceae (24th February, 2017)
Autumn Its Official 03032017 (3rd March, 2017)
The Camellia story (10th March, 2017)
..... Roses Half Price
Clipped Camellias (23rd March, 2017)
Red and gold (31st March, 2017)
Wairere Newsletter 7th April (7th April, 2017)
A wet season indeed (13th April, 2017)
Form and texture (21st April, 2017)
To Bee or not... (28th April, 2017)
Mothers Day (10th May, 2017)
Its Rose time again (19th May, 2017)
Winter colour (24th May, 2017)
Roses blooms (1st June, 2017)
Healthy roses (8th June, 2017)
Birthday brekkie (14th June, 2017)
winter solstice (22nd June, 2017)
Rose Names (29th June, 2017)
Dry July (7th July, 2017)
Dry July nearly half way (13th July, 2017)
school holidays (20th July, 2017)
Tree time (27th July, 2017)
unoffical spring (3rd August, 2017)
Signs of spring (11th August, 2017)
Tui cherries are blooming (18th August, 2017)
Sunshine at last (24th August, 2017)
slugs and snails (1st September, 2017)
Never fail choc cake (7th September, 2017)
Never fail choc cake (8th September, 2017)
sandpaper vine (15th September, 2017)
In the beginning (21st September, 2017)
The Villa (29th September, 2017)
Montanas (6th October, 2017)
Crepe Myrtles (13th October, 2017)
Te Aroha Airport (18th October, 2017)
Kumara plants are in (20th October, 2017)
French Tarragon 2 (27th October, 2017)
Trees (3rd November, 2017)
what happening (15th November, 2017)
Xeronema (17th November, 2017)
Summer Watering (25th November, 2017)
Officially summer 2 (1st December, 2017)
Wairere Newsletter (8th December, 2017)
Xmas Summer Holidays (22nd December, 2017)
Wairere Nursery
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