We All Love Shows

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.

From the Editor

Summer’s bounty

DON’T you just love wandering outside this time of year and grazing in the garden. Sun-ripened tomatoes, juicy plums, some tender peas fresh from the pod… for me it’s one of the wonderful rewards of growing our own.

Then there’s cooking up sauces and chutneys with the overflow and later savouring the special summer delights, suitably spiced, in other seasons.

In this issue, Vivienne Haldane meets two sisters who have made a successful business from putting their aubergines and peppers to good use this way (page 10). They provide some hot growing tips and recipes as does our herb expert Marilyn Wightman (page 12). Marilyn also provides some growing and recipe tips using the low calorie sweetener herb stevia.

Summer brings heat and sunshine that make many garden plants look tired. But bromeliads shine on regardless and Andrew Maloy shows how to use them to good effect (page 14) while Sue Linn discusses marigolds and ways to make merry with them (page 18).

The Plant Doctor suggests some homemade and organic solutions for unwelcome plant disease guests (page 26) and Mark Rayner looks at an array of garden gate ideas (page 22) including a DIY job (page 24).

Susie Longdell,

Editor.

From the Editor

Time to reap rewards

LAZY evenings spent dining with friends on the patio; picking sun-ripened tomatoes, homegrown beans and a bounty of fruit; the heady scents of summer’s fragrant stars.

This is the perfect time to reap the rewards of all the busy times in the gardening year.

In this issue, we celebrate this favourite time with a feature on hibiscus, the plant that best evokes dreams of perfect island holidays in balmy weather (page 20).

Marilyn Wightman comes up with recipes using fresh garden herbs perfect for casual and alfresco meals (page 19), Gillian Vine recommends amaranth as a quick leafy crop that loves the heat (page 25) and Jane Bellerby has timely tips on growing parsnips in readiness for winter (page 26).

Our DIY expert Mark Rayner presents interesting ways to recycle  ‘junk’ to enhance our gardens (page 14) - timely tips if your post-Christmas budget is tight or if you can spend some of this quiet gardening time having a clean out around home.

Just don’t work too hard. Make time to enjoy relaxing in your garden.