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Friday 21st February, 2020
Hi
Welcome back
Goodness me, how time flies, I suddenly realised that we are nearly at the end of summer, facing Autumn (not that it feels like it yet other than the early morns are certainly quite a bit darker) and no email out yet... so yes, this is the first for the year, new format and looking a tad sexier than before. Let me know what you think!
I am not even going to go on about the fact that it's been so hot and dry. I hate seeing the Waikato so scorched but nothing to do other than wait for the rains that will come. Shorter days will help, as will the foggy mornings. We are using the time to get all those tasks done that make the place look fab, fences and tables repainted, new weed mat laid where needed. Then there are tasks that can't be done when it's too wet so I am making positive use of this time to achieve these tasks in and around some areas that are usually wet all the time but suffice to say... not now!
Team meet ... it's worth being a fly on the wall
Tuesday is our team meet morning every week. Often it is a great session of show and tell.. we were all fascinated recently with Virginia's chat about the lady bird that dresses up in mealy bug clothes to catch itself a feed of 
mealy bugs... fascinating, as the larva looked just like mealy bug until it shed its disguise and then looked a lot more like a lady bird but not like the ones that we are all familiar with.. I wont give you it's Latin name, it's hard enough remembering all the plants ones for me... and these handy biological controls were on our hydrangeas... and there were no real mealy bugs in sight so they had done an excellent job. You can see them here in all stages from young nymph on the right, to the white mature nymphs and the ladybug they become... so if you find these on your plants don't automatically think you have mealy bug, they may be just the thing sent to eradicate the mealy bug instead.
Virginia was on a roll though and last week she brought along a leaf with dead aphids... OMG, I had to run a get a magnifying glass as my specs didn't cut the mustard.. these aphids had their life ended by being eaten inside out! Apparently a tiny wasp uses it's stinger to inject an egg into the abdomen of the aphid which then hatches inside the live aphid and eats it inside out and exits via a tiny hole that we all had to try and see. A tad gruesome and among this fascinating knowledge gained, spiralled into a gaming movie scene ... Alien versus Predator ... LOL... we learnt who the gamers are in the team too!!
It's great to see and hear all these contributions and I was proud to say that one of the newest team members had researched correct pruning technique and presented his talk to the team complete with self drawn and correct diagram. It was a great refresher for all us oldies to hear and awesome learning for the newbies. So the correct cut starts above the rose bud at a 45 degree angle and ends just above the back of the bud. Too high, too steep,and below the bud could end up in die back. It takes practice but when you get your eye in it's a piece of cake. Don't forget to cut with the blade down i.e. against the wood that is going to remain on the plant, so the crushing arm is bruising the cut wood that falls away.
Tony, our landscaper, has been showing the team different combinations of plants that would work well together for different situations. Last week he displayed plants with upright form like Thuja Smaragd (pronounced Thu ya sma rag)in conjunction with bushy plants with rounded shapes. He spoke of how different colours and foliage types add texture and form to your garden for example the attractive deep green, rounded leaf of the Tractor seat plant mixed with the upright, strappy, lime green Lomandra grasses. This week Tony brought to the meeting plants that would fit well in a Mediterranean or sunny garden and were mostly of the same origins. The examples he had for us were Laurus Nobilis (Bay leaf shrub), Olive El Greco and Thuja Smaragd for use as classic or soft upright elements, then upright and prostrate rosemary, the spreading Convolvulus Mauritanicus with its mauve flowers and Cistus the rock rose for middle and lower layers. It was noted by the team that these plants had predominately small leaves and many were fragrant or edible or both.
Pineapple lily no prizes for guessing how this one got its name !!
Pineapple Lily... or flower... but so that there is no confusion we had all better learn the Latin name of Eucomis. These gorgeous flowers really do take on the look of looking like pineapples with their form and interestingly enough, these also belong to the Asparagus family of plants. Off the top of my head they are reasonably hardy growing in most average positions in the garden. Just imagine them being mass planted just like you would Hostas but in a sunnier position. I really love the foliage as well but just know that they will disappear in winter so plant beside something evergreen. Choose from three different varieties, Sparkling burgundy with pretty burgundy flowers... then there is an amazing one call Zambesiaca with really cool lime green leaves and a blush of pink in the flower .. and the last one comosa with pinkish burgundy flowers, held slightly lower in the plant and just a tad shorter than the others. if you are looking for something a tad different then give these a whirl... they are in my list of favs.
Peonies
We keep getting asked for these gorgeous huge rose like flowers that arrive every spring with such an amazing display. They are online so if you have a hankering to grow these then get online and order yours... we will txt and email when the packs arrive in store. Peonies are a true perennial in that they are winter dormant and then emerge again every spring with stunning flowers. Its true that they do like a cooler clime so plant them in the coldest position that you have. Some recommendations that I have read is to plant them close to the surface so that they can get as cold as possible from our frosts or there is always a block of ice in the winter to chill the position. If you freeze an ice-cream container full of water you can just up end it over the peony and let it defrost through the day, this can certainly help.
We have added a new variety 'Highlight' that offers a rich, deep, velvet red in double form that looks pretty amazing.
Vireya Rhodos.... A tropical touch
If you are looking for a subtropical touch then some of the bright colours of Vireya Rhodos will certainly add a certain wow factor. They have a typical oval round leaf that will contrast well against other foliage and are just awesome in pots and containers as well, of course, in the garden. Beautiful, vibrant colour is displayed in profussion. A semi shaded spot in the garden is a pretty typical need of all the Rhodo family. They are a bit tender so protect them from direct frost but they certainly can be grown in your own microclimate. I have a friend that has the most amazing garden in Rotovegas and they have the most beautiful Vireyas scattered about the garden in a variety of containers.
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Old favs and plants we haven't had in a while.
Luculia Grandiflora...
Not sure if this has a common name as I only know it as Luculia and it's not often a batch of these come up. When I spied these fab plants, I just knew I had to get some. Probably a plant that we the older generation is familiar with but so worth growing that we should bring it back to fashion...
Grandiflora is the beautiful white form and packs a powerful fragrance, forms a reasonable size shrub with largish oval leaves.
Not sure if this has a common name as I only know it as Luculia and it's not often a batch of these come up. When I spied these fab plants, I just knew I had to get some. Probably a plant that we the older generation is familiar with but so worth growing that we should bring it back to fashion...
Grandiflora is the beautiful white form and packs a powerful fragrance, forms a reasonable size shrub with largish oval leaves.
Macadamias...
I was really excited to see these again in the nursery as we haven't had them for a couple of years and we keep getting asked for them.
It can take some time for them to develop enough to produce nuts so the sooner you get them in the better and remember cross pollination with a second variety will always produce a better crop with larger nuts when they do start producing.
I was really excited to see these again in the nursery as we haven't had them for a couple of years and we keep getting asked for them.
It can take some time for them to develop enough to produce nuts so the sooner you get them in the better and remember cross pollination with a second variety will always produce a better crop with larger nuts when they do start producing.
Anenomes...
These are superb for supplying bulk colour going into autumn. Choices are pink or white most grow to around 1.5m high when in flower but if you are wanting a shorter option you can plant Snow Queen as it is 70cm when flowering. Anemones spread from it's roots so give it some time and it will fill an area with delightful autumn colour. Great as a woodland plant.
These are superb for supplying bulk colour going into autumn. Choices are pink or white most grow to around 1.5m high when in flower but if you are wanting a shorter option you can plant Snow Queen as it is 70cm when flowering. Anemones spread from it's roots so give it some time and it will fill an area with delightful autumn colour. Great as a woodland plant.
What's to come?
Now is a good time to be thinking of future plantings. If you are on a section that still needs trees planted then it is a good idea to place an order for them so we can try to ensure they are available for you when they arrive around July. If you are wanting to plant an avenue of trees along a drive way or put a line of trees on a boundary then we need to know so we get enough of them for you. It is the same for roses, we order them now for delivery every year in June, if you are wanting particular varieties then get an order in so we can ensure we get enough of the varieties wanted.
The weekends roll around just as fast as they ever did and its Friday again.. if you haven't been out for a while then its worth coming for a wander around..even just to check us out. I think that the garden centre is looking amazing. The garden is open as usual and looking great even for this time of year... we have cut all the roses back in the garden so that they will flower in time for my cousins wedding to be held in our garden mid March... so exciting... an occasion to make sure that the garden looks extra special.
Hopefully you have enjoying our new look newsletter, let me know your thoughts.
Have an awesome weekend
Cheers Lloyd, Tony and the Wairere team.
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2020 Newsletters...
..... Fabulous Febuary
Watering Woes (28th February, 2020)
Orchard or Orchard (6th March, 2020)
Autumn sale time (13th March, 2020)
New Season's Camellias (20th March, 2020)
Vege Plants (27th March, 2020)
Something to try (4th April, 2020)
Lockdown dinner for my bubble (12th April, 2020)
Feijoas in abundance 1 (18th April, 2020)
Alert level 3 (25th April, 2020)
Drive through (9th May, 2020)
New Rules (15th May, 2020)
Impending roses (29th May, 2020)
Impending roses (29th May, 2020)
winter programme (6th June, 2020)
almost done (20th June, 2020)
Pruning Tech (3rd July, 2020)
In the Clouds (10th July, 2020)
Crystal ball and mags (24th July, 2020)
Chicken curry (14th August, 2020)
Big is Best (21st August, 2020)
Mouse tail plants coming (28th August, 2020)
Fluff n pretties (4th September, 2020)
Hybrid Clematis take 2 (18th September, 2020)
Those dry Places (25th September, 2020)
Water gardens (2nd October, 2020)
Balloon over Wairere (10th October, 2020)
Chilly Thursday 15/10 (16th October, 2020)
Spring has sprung (23rd October, 2020)
Kumara time (31st October, 2020)
Awesome Rain (12th November, 2020)
A pink selection of roses (16th November, 2020)
Hibiscus (22nd November, 2020)
Unexpected fruit (28th November, 2020)
Its time (5th December, 2020)
Hostas Again (12th December, 2020)
Its a wrap (19th December, 2020)
Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: