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Friday 2nd November, 2018
Hi
Food, Wine and Fine Roses
I know that in their day my parents did progressive dinners, and then there are those famous pot luck dinners where everyone turns up with a salad or maybe a dessert but of recent times we went to a more organised version. It was sold to us as like each couple or person had to take like a tapa style/size course which they actually had to present as well right down to the plates if you needed a certain look, although we drew the line at taking cutlery LOL... and we had to say what meat we were doing so that you didn't end up with three versions of chicken.
We were first in with a choice of dish and so chose to use pork. I had a mind to do a pork mince meatball recipe with a dipping sauce... no idea what brought that idea on, other than I had something kinda Thai in mind and would have to google to find a recipe. Searching in the freezer I spied a piece of pork belly and remembered the Roasted Pork Belly and Ginger Beer recipe I had made on previous occasions and that the recipe was from Dish magazine.
The original recipe was pork roasted with fennel and pears and cooked slowly with Ginger beer. In true Lloyd style we winged a plate based on the this recipe and a pork belly salad that I often have at the Surf Shack, an awesome cafe if you are over at Waihi Beach.
This is what we did....
3 cloves garlic finely chopped, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon ground all spice, freshly ground salt and pepper all mixed together and rubbed on the underside of the pork.
Finely slice two onions and place in a roasting pan just a bit bigger than the pork belly and then sit the meat rubbed side down with the crackle to the top.
rub a little olive oil on the skin with a sprinkling of sea salt.
Fill the roasting pan with ginger beer to below the level of the skin and roast slowly until well tender. When cooked sear off the crackle by turning up the heat and grilling but be careful not to burn. I cooked the meat the day before with the intention of either serving cold or just warmed through and chose the latter.
I also removed the crackle and really crackled it so that it would just break into pieces.
We then made up a coleslaw consisting of red cabbage, spring onions, grated fennel and pear and used a mayonnaise dressing as the background flavour.
Plate it up by portioning a small amount of slaw a couple of warmed slices of pork, a little of the onion and cooking jus and place crackle to the side and some cubed pieces of a really good blue cheese.
Gotta say that it worked out really well and looked great on the plate.
So your next social event could be one of these little soirees or it could be a date at the Hamilton Rose Show on 10th or 11th Nov at the Hamilton Gardens Pavilion, check out events page for more info or show your interest on the facebook events post on our page or theirs.
In search of the perfect bloom
Waikato rose show, not this weekend but the next at the Hamilton rose garden pavalion Saturday 10 November 12pm to 5 pm and Sunday 11 November 10am to 4.30pm.
if you are into roses then this is the place to view them where the members aim to get the best that they can of the style of roses that they love... there will be something on show for everyone and its the place to go, to see in the flesh, the next rose that may grace your garden.
I know that the guys who enter the competition tend to their roses, probably more than their next meal... I'm kidding LOL, or maybe not, as I have even heard of umbrellas being placed over these precious blooms so that the rain can't spoil the developing flower... goodness only knows what they did in that horrendous wind that we had yesterday.
I am sure that with some of the Hybrid teas that have more than one bud developing that they disbud the surplus so that the energy goes into only one flower. I also know that they are careful with what they spray and when as it doesn't do to have any residue and besides they might get some russeting on either the leaves or the flowers.
I know many of the members and whilst they love the challenge of growing that perfect flower, and (lets face it, its not that different really to growing a perfect cabbage) they really just love roses and having roses in their garden. I also know that they totally love to share their knowledge, skills and passion for the rose and its not all about showing but how to get great results in the garden. Definitely something worth checking out.
Something a tad different in the tree line but really cool
Wow wee its not until I have been lurking amongst all the trees down the back of the garden centre that I spy these amazing trees and think to myself that we have some really cool stuff here in the nursery.
We all know Cercis Forest Pansy as it's been quite the popular small tree over the past few years and rightly so as it has gorgeous burgundy foliage, cool, pink, pea like flowers that appear to grow directly from the stems and trunk. Now imagine that same heart shaped leaf in an attractive limey yellowish green!!!! Let me introduce, a reasonably new release called, Cercis Hearts of Gold. Same deal with the flowers being pinkish in colour and borne off the stems of the tree which is typical of Cercis. This will make an awesome small tree as I know many these days don't want anything that grows too large... smaller sections and all that.
Whilst on the subject of smaller trees in that fab golden yellowish colour I spotted way down in the back of Bay 3 some Ulmus dampiera aurea which has quite unique wrinkled edge leaves in quite a bright golden yellow... just because I can't know it all (though I guessed this from its form in the nursery)I find that its a smaller growing and quite upright version of the Elm genus... again ideal for those smaller townie sections or use as a colour feature against some burgundy foliage tree like Prunus Thundercloud or against those forest pansies.
Stryax Japonica or Japanese Snowbell ...Gosh it would seem that I found all the smaller growing trees whilst in Bay 3 ... attractive green leaves and in flower, which it is now, small whitish snowdrop shaped bells hang gracefully from the branches. A rather pretty tree.
Sorbus Aria Lutescens or Silver Whitebeam is a form of Rowan tree which are typically grown in the South Island. Generalising, Rowans are grown for their berries and need Winter chill factor, however, Sorbus aria Lutescens seems to do alright up here too. Though this beauty is renown for its stunning felted grey leaves that emerge in the spring. I have to say i just adore this ones foliage and should really pop one somewhere into the gardens here.. again a smaller tree and apparently when mature reaches only 10 m. I know, you may say that is large, but not in the scheme of tree heights.
Laburnum vossii or Golden Chain tree, these have flowers happening too, well the one that I walked past did anyways. Bit of a classic tree this one and as its name suggest has bright yellow flowers that hang and I guess a bit like a chain. When I say classic or traditional this species has been used in gardens in Europe and here of course, trained over pergolas or archways and then you will see the full effect of the hanging flowers. Equally at home as a speciman tree in the garden Laburnum will delight with its flowers after all the flowering cherries have done their thing.. something a tad different.
Cercidyphylum japonicum don't be put off by the Latin name and perhaps use the common one of Katsura tree. Japonicum, you are correct in thinking it's from japan... can get largish and would be useful as a speciman tree but I love its roundish leaves.. why not have a tree that not everyone else has.
Laburnum Cercidyphylum Hearts of Gold Sorbus aria Styrax japonica
Just arrived so keep colouring your garden
Salvias, there is a good collection of these on the tables. Amistad, Love and wishes, Wendys Wish, Embers Wish, Red Velvet, Glare, So Cool Pale Blue, So cool Violet, so many.
Penstemons again a good range of cultivars but still yet to show colour, but get them now and they will in your garden. You cant stop at one, try them all, Boysenberry Taffy, Grape Taffy, Cha Cha Lavender, Watermelon Haffy, Hidecote Pink and Cherry
Liliums of the asiatic kind have just arrived this week Blackout, Foxtrot, Matrix Orange, Malesco, Snow Queen. Snow Queen are available in single or triple bulb pots.
Sisyrinchiums - Snowdrift and Devon Skies... Actually I saw these at the place where I went to the shared tapas dinner the other week and they looked amazing. Over the last few years they have increased into some quite good looking clumps and all in flower too, Snowdrift obviously white and Devon Skies blue.
Lavender fairy wings new releases Radiance, Spellbound and Whimsical are finally here and looking gorgeous, they have been bred to be compact, highly fragrant and free flowering, the bees are loving them.
Passionfruit fresh plants just arrived in stock again, these are the black variety, the coloured ones will be later in the season.
Rhubarb of the new fancy red stemmed varieties are here, Claret Cobbler, Ruby Tart, and a very new one Pink Parfait, it apparently is pink through the middle and holds it's colour when cooked. Amazing red stems all year.
Lavender of the English kind have just started to arrive in and all the back orders should have been contacted... if you haven't then please get in touch and if you have then please touch base asap so that we know that you are still definitely wanting these. Some to look at are Foveaux Storm, Blue Mountain Alba, Thumbelina are ones we have available stock of if you haven't already pre ordered yours, and more still to come.
NEW NEW NEW Hydrangea quercifolia Ice Crystal is a new variety just out, first time with us and looking really interesting. The leaf is like quercifolia but smaller and finely cut and the flowers are just starting to open but lots of panicles. These only grow to about 1.2m high so will be excellent for smaller gardens, I can see some hedges of these coming up.
Philadelphus is one of the lovely fragrant bushes we should all have in our gardens and Birchlands has a lovely arching habit and of course it covers itself in highly fragrant white flowers in spring. This one is reduced to $19.99 as it has done it's flowering for the season and we need it's space. Check out the other varieties of Philadelphus as well, they are all worthy. 
Amistad Amore Red Velvet So Cool Violet Wendys Wish
Last week, tongue in cheek, I said that I wanted the rain after 5pm and before 8.30am and that is just what we got the other day though I'm happy to say that we have had more rain since and it doesn't really matter when it falls... we just need it to keep raining to keep the Waikato looking its famous and fabulous green colour. Another weekend closer to Christmas but still time to keep up with the garden so that it look amazing when all your family and friends come to visit.
Come and check out the roses in the nursery ... I think that we are just about in full swing with flowering and they are worth coming to look at just to see all the flowers. In fact there are so many flowering at present it is giving me lots of opportunity to picture them and post on facebook for you to see. Our gardens are looking crisp and gorgeous thanks to the garden team, some of you may have seen the video clips we have posted on face book, if not check them out, especially if you haven't been to us before, they are well worth a look. Check you area for any garden events happening, they come and go so quickly and now's the time to do the tours.
Above all else have the most fabulous weekend.
cheers
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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2018 Newsletters...
Feb already (3rd February, 2018)
Gardening friends (9th February, 2018)
fabulous feb (16th February, 2018)
Grapes and Art deco in Napier (2nd March, 2018)
About Ferns (10th March, 2018)
out with willow and in with Camellias (27th March, 2018)
Paddock Trees (25th March, 2018)
Trees for Big Spaces (27th March, 2018)
Sasanquas take 2 (30th March, 2018)
Brrr Autumn is here (14th April, 2018)
Garlic and Winter Roses (21st April, 2018)
Friday Again (5th May, 2018)
Espaliered (12th May, 2018)
always a project (18th May, 2018)
Power Outages and Proteas (31st May, 2018)
Rose time again (8th June, 2018)
Aussie Natives (19th June, 2018)
Roses Abounding! (23rd June, 2018)
Ornamentals (7th July, 2018)
High, Low or Cascading (13th July, 2018)
Daphne time (20th July, 2018)
Spring in four days (27th July, 2018)
Let the blossoms begin (3rd August, 2018)
Tamarillos (10th August, 2018)
Magnolias3 (17th August, 2018)
Bloom time not gloom time (28th August, 2018)
Is it September Already? (31st August, 2018)
Nuts abounding (7th September, 2018)
Its all in the name... seriously (14th September, 2018)
Blossom bloom again (21st September, 2018)
Fabulous Friday 28 (28th September, 2018)
Fluffies and Pretties (5th October, 2018)
October rain with 22mm (12th October, 2018)
Blue October (19th October, 2018)
Its all about roses this week (26th October, 2018)
..... what about this
Rose show 2018 this weekend (9th November, 2018)
The running of the balls sequel 1 (16th November, 2018)
Orange Kumara 1 (23rd November, 2018)
scones (30th November, 2018)
Hydrangeas (8th December, 2018)
French Tarragon Hmmm (14th December, 2018)
Happy Holidays (21st December, 2018)
Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: