The Star: September 08, 2016

More documents

Recommendations

Info

26 Thursday September 8 2016 follow us on facebook.com/riseupchristchurch The Star Gardening PMA •From page 25 French lavender – L. dentata This type can almost flower all year round. With a large open habit, the pale purpleblue flowers sit above the serrated, soft grey-green leaves. Reaching about 1m by 1m with a loose habit, it is a good idea to trim this variety once a year in autumn to help the plant maintain a compact growth habit. This variety dries particularly well as it has a longer stem to pick. Italian lavender – L. stoechas The most popular lavender, if sales at garden centres are to go by, L. stoechas – or winged lavender – has brightly coloured ears (or wings) on the end of each stem. The plants often flower twice or even three times within a season if trimmed regularly. Flower colours vary from intense purples and blues to shades of pink, mauve, dusty grey and white. Australian lavender – L. pinnata ‘Sidonie’ A unique hybrid, which originated in Australia, it features the same rich, dark purple-blue flowers of other lavenders, but with little or no foliage fragrance. This midsized shrub looks the part and is a lovely choice as a filler shrub in a sunny border. It is not as tolerant to frost as the others, so best suited to warm, sheltered coastal gardens. PICK OF THE BUNCH Plant breeders worldwide are endeavouring to come up with better strains of lavender. Some become new favourites, others disappear. NEW ‘Sweet Romance’ This sturdy little number has all the attributes of other English lavenders, but where it differs is in its ability to flower on very young growth, which means you do not have to wait a season or two to enjoy a flurry of blooms. Its intense deep blue-purple flower spikes sit nicely above the solid silvergrey domes of foliage from late spring well into autumn. The heady perfume simply adds to this plant’s appeal. This one is an excellent low hedge option. Planted en masse it will add structure and charm to driveways and garden borders. It is a brilliant cut flower, too, drying well and holding its shape. It would be suitable for container growing, but make sure the pot is at least 10 litres in capacity – that’s the size of a kitchen bucket. Twice the size would be better as it will allow the plant to last longer. ‘The Princess’ When released a couple of seasons ago, this superb, compact Italian variety took gardeners by surprise with its sugarplum-pink frilly flowers. Mine have survived two droughts, neglect and being backed over by a trailer, so I can testify wholeheartedly to its ability to perk up each spring with an array of flowers that seem to appear continuously for about six months. A superb option for tubs and mass plantings, and lovely if you want a touch of pink in the garden as opposed to purple. ‘Major’ With a name of such strong connotations it is no surprise this Italian lavender hybrid sits at the top of the popularity list. The dark rich-purple flowers appear from midspring and last through until early summer. Then, if given a light haircut, more flowers will appear in autumn. A top choice for those who want a knee- to hip-height lavender, it generally gets a little too big for tubs and planters, unless the container has a wide diameter . SPRING GARDEN Awards Christchurch gardeners, now is the time to plan, plant and prepare for our Spring Garden Awards! Up to $1,500 of prize money from Oderings Garden Centres to be won. Entries close 28 September 2016 www.chsgardens.co.nz enter online chsgardens.co.nz FREE Entry Ouruhia ‘The greatest little nursery in town’ www.ouruhianursery.co.nz SPECIALIST LANDSCAPE NURSERY NEW SEASON: • Fruit Trees • Berry Plants • Ornamental Trees • Roses HUGE NATIVE SELECTION Plus lots more! On site garden design Cnr Marshland & Turners Road 8.30-5pm • 7 DAYS • Ph 323 8588 Eftpos, credit cards and most garden gift vouchers welcome naTiVe planT nursery Trees for CanTerbury speCialisTs in • Groundcovers • Ferns • Grasses • Small to big sized shrubs • Shelterbelts • ALL grades • Expert advice • Planting now Ask us about Super Gold Card discounts Helping our community grow 42 Charlesworth Street Ph/Fax (03) 982-1028 OPEN 7 DAYS www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz Spring Flower Show New Zealand Alpine Garden Society CHS Daffodil Show Rhododendron Society Show Woolston Club, 43 Hargood Street Plenty of free Parking Saturday 17 September 1pm – 5pm Sunday 18 September 10am – 4pm Specialist Plant Sales Alpine & Rock Garden Plant Exhibits Rhododendrons - Species & Hybrids Stunning Daffodil Display School Competitions Bonsai, Cacti & Succulent Displays admission $5.00 (Children under 15 free) www.nzags.com
The Star follow us on facebook.com/riseupchristchurch Thursday September 8 2016 27 L . dentata For those who like a pale shade of violet, and are looking for a softer look, the French lavender is a wonderful option. This plant is rarely without a flower. However, it won’t cope with the same amount of frost as the Italian and English jobs, so give it some protection. DOS AND DON’TS Lavender is one of those wonderful shrubs that can give so much joy for such little care. However, there are a few tips and tricks to ensuring it maintains its shape and vigour over the season. Full sun is a must. Don’t consider planting it in a shady damp position, it needs full sun and excellent drainage. It looks spectacular planted in groups, en masse in gardens, down banks and in hedges. It blends well into numerous garden styles, making itself at home in both modern and old-fashioned settings. Lavender can live a happy life in a container, but what is critical to ensure its success is to choose a large pot (ideally twice the size of a kitchen bucket). Even though it has a shallow root system, it flowers best in a larger pot. Don’t be tempted to put a saucer under the pot either, it hates wet feet and the roots will rot and FRIENDS: Roses and lavender are a striking combination. die if left standing in water. Regular haircuts are required to keep plants fresh and tidy. The trick is to cut back the plants while they are actively growing (not in winter), after the main flurry of flowers in late summer or autumn. You may need to forgo a few flowers to do this, but timing is critical. Pruning at this time helps maintain shape and promotes a new set of flowers. Cutting back lavender into old brittle wood is a recipe for disaster. It usually doesn’t regenerate and, if cut back too hard, it can cause the plant to die. Lavender hates having its roots disturbed or dug in and around. Essentially, it is a little ticklish! So, avoid planting anything under lavender, not even bulbs. In the wild it rarely competes with anything else in the same spot, so try not to upset it when planting it at home. ROSES AND LAVENDER These two plants look fabulous together, but essentially they differ dramatically in what they prefer in terms of ideal growing conditions. Roses love rich, moisture-retentive soil and plenty of water through hot periods, while lavender loathes wet feet and moist foliage. Foodwise, roses are greedy beggars and lavenders thrive on the smell of an oily rag. So, if you wish to marry these two plants together, you need to clearly manage them differently. This can be done by allowing plenty of space between the roses and the rows of lavenders, in order to feed and water plants independently of each other. LESS IS MORE To get the best look when planting lavender, choose your favourite and mass plant it. This is better than planting a number of different varieties. Bold blocks of flowering lavender are a sight to behold. For hedges, space 30-50cm apart (depending on the variety). WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW When to plant Warm and temperate climates All year round. Cold climates Spring, summer and autumn. When to prune After flowering, every season. Plant spacing Base spacing on how big the plant will grow, bearing in mind this will depend on the variety and its purpose, e.g. hedges (20-30cm), or rows. Where to buy Garden centres and hardware stores both have a good selection of lavender plants. Christchurch Super Garden Tour Including 14 Premium gardens 19th & 20th November 2016 10am to 4pm A Wigram Lions Club Project raising funds for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service and Child Cancer Foundation. Tickets & free information brochures available at any Oderings, Terra Viva, or Portstone Garden Nursery Outlets and at Riccarton House or the Bicycle Thief Restaurant. Tickets $25 each or at www.lionsclubs.org.nz/ chch-gardentour tickets at $27 each. One ticket gives access on both days.
Page 1 and 2: HAVE A HOLIDAY KEEP YOUR MIND BUSY
Page 3 and 4: The Star follow us on facebook.com/
Page 5: The Star follow us on facebook.com/
Page 8 and 9: 8 Thursday September 8 2016 follow
Page 14 and 15: 14 follow us on facebook.com/riseup
Page 63: MASSIVECLEARANCE now 40 % off now 4
Page 66: CABO Collection Create a chic summe

The Star: September 08, 2016

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?