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Cover Stories
July 8th - 28th 2010
WHERE PROTEAS RULE
Sue Linn visits the South African home of many proteas and has advice on choosing and growing garden varieties.OTAGO’S ORIENTAL DELIGHT
Gillian Vine visits Dunedin’s Chinese Garden in mid-winter and finds it sets an exemplary cold season standard.LOVE AFFAIR WITH LITHOPS
Andrew Maloy talks with a gardener who has a passion for pebble plants or living stones.
OUR WILLING WORKERS
Andrew Maloy gives the lowdown on earthworms and their importance – and has tips on attracting them to your garden.
STYLED FOR A SHADY SPOT
Matthew Wilson shows how to combine foliage plants to create a smart container display for a shady patio in winter.DIY: HOW TO HOLD ‘EM UP
Mark Rayner show how to make a quick and easy frame for supporting your climbing roses and other plants.DIY: ECO SEEDLING POTS
Andrew Maloy shows how to make quick and easy pots for veggie and flower seedlings pots from old newspapers.KEEN ON KIWIFRUIT
Jane Bellerby and Susie Longdell have tips for growing, pruning and using the Chinese fruit we’ve adopted as our own.IN THE EDIBLE GARDEN
Our team from around the country report in on their vegetable and fruit crops and list their top tasks for July.I’M LIKING LICHEN
Veronica Armstrong finds lots to enjoy in the many lichens that catch the eye in her Wellington garden in winter.
DIY: SLEEPY MEXICAN
Mark Rayner shows, step-by-step, how easy it is for school children (and adults) to make this garden ornament.
PERFECT FOR PICKING
Susie Longdell enjoys the garden and cutflower merits of erisotemons, also known as wax flowers.NEXT ISSUE AVAILABLE FROM 29th July 2010
We All Love Shows
July 27, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
EVERY gardener loves a great show.
It’s the chance to see gardening trends and cutting edge flower fashion.
I’ve just come back inspired from a lightning trip to the biennial Singapore Garden Festival which we will feature soon in the Weekend Gardener.
Here in Auckland what great news it is that we’re getting a brand new New Zealand Garden Expo (www.gardenexpo.co.nz) being held at Ellerslie Racecourse next April by the highly successful Australian company Expertise Events which runs the hugely popular ABC shows across the Tasman.
Meanwhile, this issue we bring you the latest design ideas from Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in London.
Andrew Steens takes a look at hydroponics gardening; Rob Lahood visits Wairarapa’s old Te Whanga Garden; Abbie Jury celebrates magnolias; and expert Terry Dowdeswell gives his tips for top results with delphiniums.
Good gardening.
Susie Longdell,
Editor.
Photo Contest
July 27, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
Weekend Gardener is running a new competition - Photo Contest. There are 3 OLYMPUS MJU 5010, 14 megapixel cameras, worth #349 each, to win.
Living Stones in Auckland
July 12, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
IN this our mid-winter issue, Andrew Maloy tells the story of an Auckland man’s long-time love affair with Lithops, unusual living stones or pebble plants he discovered in South Africa.
After also visiting the republic and walking the fynbos, Sue Linn has plenty of pointers for lots of protea perfection.
Talking about national icons, we’ve tips on kiwifruit and a recipe for a marinade.
Down south, Gillian Vine goes to Dunedin’s delightful Chinese Garden, an inspiring place, now the city’s biggest tourist attraction, that shines in our coldest months.
Veronica Armstrong gives advice on lichen; and Plant Gallery has interesting vegetable seeds to grow.
It’s a great time for DIY projects; we’ve three you can tackle in the garage: a patio display, a climbing frame; newspaper eco seedling pots; and a great project for the kids, Mark Rayner’s delightful sleepy Mexican ornament made from pots.
With all the rain around, it’s a good time to be pottering around in a glasshouse; enter our feature draw and be in to win a Redpath® model.
Good gardening and reading.
Chelsea golds galore
June 15, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
WHEN it comes to gardening events, Chelsea Flower Show is tops and this year saw new records, including the most gold medals awarded.
This was unexpected as night frosts were still rolling in 12 days before the show and exhibitors worried whether flowers would unfold in time.
This year can also claim Chelsea’s most expensive show garden - the $44 million Ace of Diamonds Garden. But it takes more than sparkling jewels to dazzle Chelsea judges who gave it a bronze award despite its glitter.
Then the judges awarded just a silver to the Peoples Choice winner for small gardens.
In this issue (page 10) we bring you highlights of the show - choose your own favourites and be inspired by ideas for your backyard.
Now winter has really arrived we’ve tips on feeding hungry birds (page 14), on choosing and caring for citrus, the mainstay of the winter orchard (page 22), and show how to take hardwood cuttings, the great no-cost way to produce new edible and ornamental plants (page 26).
Also in this issue, our centrefold supplement has winter offerings from Diack’s Nurseries, a southern gardening institution based in Invercargill. View www.diacks.co.nz
Susie Longdell,
Editor.
Vegetable Seeds to Grow
June 15, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
This issue of Weekend Gardener magazine includes Vegetable Seeds to Grow: a selection of seeds new to Kings Seeds. More details at www.kingsseeds.co.nz
Win Garden Books
June 15, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
In this issue of Weekend Gardener, we have 70 books, worth $2500, to win from Touchwood Books. See www.touchwoodbooks.co.nz for more information.
Reader Letters - Issue #292
June 1, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
Nameless delight
I have had this rose (pictured left) in my garden for many years. It is completely free of thorns, and each branch is covered with blooms lasting for weeks. The blooms don’t lose their petals - when they turn brown I just remove them from the stems.
This beautiful rose delights visitors and yes, they all want cuttings, which I gladly give. It is also almost disease-free and I have not seen it elsewhere.
It flowers from spring to autumn like other roses and the largest bloom is about 7-8cm across. The petal edges turn pink after the second or third week and most blooms stay tightly cupped.
Your magazine is so informative. Since I started gardening five years ago I’ve learned so much from it. I was never interested in planting vegetables but now I enjoy it.
Thank you so much. I look forward to each issue. Good on you, team. Keep it up. Read more
DNA exposes ferns in international plant trade
June 1, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
AMERICAN scientists have used DNA to identify fake ferns.
DNA testing of garden ferns sold at some American plant nurseries has found that plants marketed as American natives may actually be exotic species from other parts of the globe.
The finding relied on a new technique called “DNA barcoding” that uses small snippets of DNA to distinguish between species, in much the same way that a supermarket scanner uses the black lines in a barcode to identify cans of soup or boxes of cereal.
A team of North Carolina researchers suspected a fern might not be what the labels said it was.
When they pasted the DNA sequence of three of the plant’s genes into an online database, they discovered that what had been labeled as Wright’s lip fern (Cheilanthes wrightii), an American native popular in rock gardens and xeriscapes, was in fact a bristle cloak fern (C. distans), a relative from Australia.
Garden guru, celebrity chef at Kitchen and Garden Show
June 1, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
RADIO and television gardening guru Tony Murrell and celebrity chef Helen Jackson will star in an evening of laughter, enjoyment and give aways - the Kitchen and Garden Show live at TSB Showplace, New Plymouth, on August 19.
Tony Murrell, of TV One’s Mucking In, is joined by Helen Jackson, food editor of NZ Woman’s Weekly. She has an award-winning website Foodlovers.co.nz and as well as working on radio with Tony she has regular spots on Television One’s Good Morning show.
There are prizes and giveaways for everyone from sponsors Tui Products and part proceeds will go to the Child Cancer Foundation. Tickets available through Ticketek and from Big Jim’s Garden Centre in Bell Block, New Plymouth.
Issue #292 Plant Noticeboard
June 1, 2010 by Susie · Leave a Comment
Wanted quail daffodils and Anthericum liliago (sometimes known as the Saint Bernard’s lily). I will pay any costs. Sue Stretton, Waikato, email Susan.Stretton@waikatodhb.health.nz or ph 07 825 9769.
- Does anybody have or know where I can get seeds of Hibiscus mutabilis ‘Plena’, the large double cotton or confederate rose that opens white and then turns pink. Willing to pay expenses. Lee Schlichting, 96 Arawa St, Matata, RD 4, Whakatane 3194, ph 07 322 2345.
- Could anyone give me cuttings of any of the old-fashioned carnations? There used to be a large red one with a great perfume; a pink with a maroon band around centre and and a perfume like cinnamon; a pink and mauve one named ‘Maori Chief’ and one with a lemon and maroon flower. Willing to pay postage, Gay Tait, 32 Kowhai St, Te Hapara, Gisborne 4010, email gayhillstait@xtra.co.nz
- I would like bulbs or seeds of the Oriental lily ‘Lady Lavender Rose’. Willing to pay for them. Alan, email alanrowland@clear.net.nz
- I am trying to gather a complete collection of Weekend Gardeners and need the following issues: Numbers 1-3, 10-18, 21-23, 25-28, 30, 31, 33-37, 42. If you can supply any of these magazines please contact Dianne Beattie, Old Russell Rd, RD 4, Hikurangi 0184, ph 09 433 9780. All costs paid.
- Our new granddaughter has been named Pania. Does anyone know where we can get the hybrid tea rose ‘Pania’. We have tried several nurseries. Perhaps someone has one growing and can give us a cutting at pruning time. We will pay costs. Beth Mooney, 46 Dalfield Pl, Palmerston North 4412, ph 06 353 6865, email ibmooney@slingshot.co.nz
- I am looking for cuttings of orange and blue geran-iums. Happy to pay all costs. Joy Johnston, 2B Collingwood Road, Waiuku 2123, ph 09 235 9291.
- The blue poppies, Meconopsis betonicifolia, M. grandis and M x sheldonii wanted. Happy to pay costs. Robbie, ph 03 689 4781 or email robbiejangus@clear.net.nz
- Does anyone know of or have the old daffodil called ‘Star of Bethlehem’? My mother had it in her garden at Mangapai in Northland. I would also like to hear of anyone with other old daffodil varieties. All expenses paid. Lori, ph 09 832 5797 or email Lori, lcrump@maxnet.co.nz
- I would like to take small mid-winter cuttings in the Auckland area from old fig, apple, pear trees for grafting If you can help please contact John, ph 09 638 7754, email john_robyn@xtra.co.nz.
- A lovely lady sent me some watsonias and also some seed but I have lost her address to recompense her. Would she please contact me. Jenny, ph 09 409 5567 or email jennywa@xtra.co.nz
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