Saturday 12th December, 2020
Hi
Wahoo 15 mls of rain again and at that perfect time of day, being at night, when we don't have to work in it! LOL . I have to say that it's been just great for all the new plantings that we have done like around the new staff car park. Last year, if I recollect correctly, we were looking pretty dry for this time of year so it's nice to have the grass still growing. It has been great for my vege garden too, which is just romping away. Zucchini, which just seem to appear overnight, and Silverbeet is fresh tender and young to eat and I'm at that stage again where one can just live off the garden harvest.
Speaking of eating, I can assure you that rabbits are quite partial to the odd lettuce as they have almost eaten a couple, that were hearting quite nicely, to ground level which indicate that my rabbit proof fence isn't quite working.
Thank goodness I have a raised vege garden out the back, I will just have to plant my lettuces there from now on.
An old timer making a come back
Chinese lanterns and Indian Mallow are both common names for
Abutilon, a pretty shrub that has lantern like flowers. This, almost herbaceous or herby like shrub, is quite robust and is nearly always covered in some lantern like flowers... not only pretty but hardy as well and will thrive in most positions from sun to partial shade.
There are quite a few colour shades of this versatile plant and I think that Ange has ensured most shades available are in at the moment, choose from
hot pink,
orange,
red,
white and
yellow.
This beauty will also benefit from a good hack back from time to time and will readily grow back so makes for a great filler in the garden.
Plantain Lilies are SEXY!
It's a little bit like being in a candy store, but when the rep turned up the other day with his van load of sample plants... especially for a plant-a-holic like me... there were hostas, the biggest and best grades that I have seen for a while and of course, I just had to get some... well some of everything that he had on board and there were a few.
These handsome plants were once listed with the family liliaceae but have since been reclassified into the Asparagus family
Hostas or plantain lilies are renown for their spunky looking leaves. Not to mention the fact that they are tolerant of shade, although probably not as much shade as many think, rather they will like quite a lot of morning sun with a view to having some afternoon shade. Interestingly enough, I have experienced, with these handsome herbaceous perennials, that different leaf shades are tolerant of greater or lesser light. The more green and grey cultivars probably tolerate more light and the more white or gold variegates probably like a bit more shade than their, more solid, colour counterparts. Don't grow these beauties where it is too dry as they do like a rich, moist soil to keep those leaves looking luscious.
There appear to be so many combination shades of almost white, creams to yellows and blues and greens with some being the absolute opposite or reverse pattern of another that it almost become an eye test to see which is different..
Don't think that the diversity stops at leaf colour, as we all know size matters, and leaves will range from one called
Blue Mouse Ears with almost rat (Rat because I think mouse might be a bit small) ear sized leaves to those like Blue Mammoth or Abiqua Drinking Gourd which grow relatively ginormous with huge leaves.
It's not always about the leaves and many hosta have quite cool flowers, which hang bell like, from tall spikes that emerge from the centre of the plant. In this family of plants, these range from dark mauves to
white, and they do add another dimension to having a mass planting of these.
Now a long time fav would have to be one called
Loyalist and this seems to be a pretty robust, almost white and green combo, with the green on the outer edges (margins). Those sexy leaves just ooze appeal.. we have a white a green variety at home in a pot and it always brightens up the corner in which it lives.
I have used one called Blue mouse ears at home as contrast and a ground cover between some Buxus and hopefully, as it clumps up over the next few years, will look really cool!
Something new
Acacia Howitti or sticky wattle. Usually a ground cover but presented here as a topiary standard transforming it into a beautiful designer plant. Fast growing with graceful weeping branches. Tolerates most soil conditions as long as its well drained. Fragrant pale yellow flowers.
Ligularia Reniformis or tractor seat plant are pretty cool if you are into foliage... large round leaves that are shaped just like the old fashioned tractor seats. These look particularly tropical if mass planted... like the dapple light but surprisingly tolerant of being on the drier side once established.
Ligularlia Limerick.The white markings on this one are pretty cool and I'm sure that you will love them too... we don't have many so be in quick if you want some to brighten up those shady areas.
Housekeeping
Next week is our last week for dispatch for 2020... we don't want to run the risk of not getting our precious plants to the intended recipients in the Christmas courier rush.. so if you've a plan to get something couriered, next week is the final week for it to happen. We will resume regular courier dispatch the first full, and normal, week of 2021 being Monday the 11th of January. If you do order over the festive and holiday season we will put these plants aside until dispatch begins in January.
Reminder... we are only shut Christmas day otherwise it's business as usual... 7 days a week from 8.30 to 5pm.. it'll only be a skeleton crew through the festive two week period but more will be back on deck from 11 Jan.
EVouchers are an excellent way of giving plants for Christmas without having to worry about them over the Christmas period. Here's a step by step on the online process. You can get them sent to yourself or direct to the person of your choice. Go to the website, type evoucher into the search engine, enter the value of the voucher you want to give, put the email address you want to send the voucher to. Enter any message wanted for the recipient and click Add to cart or Quick add. Then all you have to do is log in or fill in your details if you are new to the website. If you are new to ordering through us it will also want a contact address. Follow the prompts to payment options and complete the transaction. The voucher will be sent to the address chosen.
I am going to have to crack out the recipe books or my back issue of the Dish magazine for some ideas for this years Xmas brunch. In the past I have made it quite breakfast like with bacon, sausage and various egg dishes, corn fritters and salsa but this year I'm thinking to up my game and do something more... brunch/salad like perhaps, as we tend to eat late around 11ish.
I imagine many are busy getting their gardens up to scratch after all this spring growth, or busy as, getting sorted for the holiday weeks and Christmas that is coming up at the rate of knots. However you are spending the weekend relax and take time to smell the roses and the lilies.
Have a fabulous weekend
Regards Lloyd, Tony and the Wairere team
