The Star: December 20, 2018

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$7.90 incl. GST 24 Thursday December 20 2018 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Gardening Editorial supplied by The Star www.gardener.kiwi How to have a real If you want to further your home-grown festive season, how about decorating your home with the flowers and foliage of our beautiful native flora? Veronica Armstrong suggest a few options SO MANY of our Christmas traditions come from overseas: The pine or spruce Christmas tree, the wreaths and garlands of holly, ivy and mistletoe that decorate our doors and mantelpieces, and the red poinsettia flowers in our living rooms. But it really is possible to have these traditional decorations using New Zealand’s unique native plants. Living Christmas trees In recent years there has been a trend to using live Christmas trees to save a real tree being cut down. Natives fit the bill here. Plant a lovely pōhutukawa (metrosideros excelsa) in a large pot and bring it indoors just before Christmas and decorate it. The red flowers, with their golden stamens, are such an iconic summer sight and better than any amount of tinsel. Pōhutukawa cultivars from the Pacific Islands are naturally smaller growing and more suited to pots, such as the pretty ‘tahiti’ or ‘spring fire’, while variegated forms like ‘tahitian sunset’ will give you green and yellow leaves and red flowers – all the Christmas colours on one plant. If you want to go for gold try ‘aurea’, which has yellow flowers. A dwarf form of the southern rātā, metrosideros umbellata ‘firecracker’ would also be perfect as a potted Christmas tree. It has a compact growth form and produces its deep red flowers over November and December. Another option is kawaka (libocedrus plumosa) – an evergreen conifer with rich green leaves that have a soft, feathery feel. This native survives well in a pot for several years before needing to be planted out, so can easily be brought indoors for Christmas. Being a conifer, kawaka don’t have flowers like the pōhutukawa but instead has wonderfully decorative cones. Wreaths First of all, if you want the wreath to last longer, use a soaked foam base instead of a wooden one. I have previously used tōtara branches, which will remain fresh for several days. For a softer green try branches of lemonwood (pittosporum eugenioides). Bright red and green can be provided by sprigs of coprosma cultivars such as ‘evening glow’ or ‘sunset’, or use libertia ixioides ‘taupo sunset’, which has striped red, green and yellow leaves. Pop in a few pōhutukawa flowers, or flax flowers for some red colour. If you prefer a more delicate look, use our pretty mānuka (leptospermum scoparium) flowers in either white or one of the many red shades available now. And what could be more iconic than a wreath made from harakeke? Phormium cultivars come in a range of colours now, with greens, yellows, reds and burgundy just perfect for Christmas. growing with you June 2018 | 100% Plants For winter wow Cool Choices For Colour & Contrast Snap it up Enter our annual Birdlife Photo Competition to win great prizes! clear the air Why groWing indoor PLAnTs is so good for you The magazine for gardeners who like to get their hands dirty oN sAle Now! From swamp to sea views The journey begins with sarah the Gardener give it a grow from gArLic To chinese ArTichokes, We hAve your groWing TiPs covered the latest releases into the rose world + rose care through winter SUBSCRIBE FROM $43. 50* *6 issues/6 months Now only $35.80 Plus $5 P&H per copy SUBSCRIPTIONS FREEPHONE 0800 77 77 10 WWW.GARDENER.KIWI AvAilAble from stAr mediA: Level One, 359 Lincoln Road Addington, Christchurch Phone 379 7100 Discover a better way to irrigate your garden. Most plants and grass do fine with a drink every other day. Help them retain moisture by watering before 7am or after 9pm. Find out more at ccc.govt.nz/water-saving-tips
The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday December 20 2018 25 Kiwi Christmas If you grow any of these, cut some colourful leaves and wrap then tightly around a wooden wreath, covering it completely. New cabbage tree cultivars with striped red and green leaves, such as cordyline banksii ‘electric star’, would also fit the bill. Leave your wreath as is, or jazz it up with some tōtara cones and pōhutukawa or flax flowers and you will soon have yourself a stunning native wreath! If you have native ferns growing in your garden, you can incorporate this foliage, too. Fern fronds come in various shades of green, and some have silvery undersides (think of our silver fern, or ponga here), which would look very attractive. For added texture in a wreath or garland, and, pop in a few fiddleheads, with while you’re at it, check out its their distinctive koru shape, and white, daisy-like flowers with some (native) red flowers and their golden centres – more there you have another beautiful Christmas colours. and unusual green and red native wreath. Table centrepieces We have our own version If you would like to create of holly – the New Zealand white-themed Christmas mountain holly, olearia ilicifolia. decorations, such as a table The leaves of this large shrub are centrepiece, natives are not narrow, pointed and have wavy, short of white flowers so there toothed edges that are a bit are plenty from which to prickly, just like the introduced choose. A posy of white kākā version. Leaves look great beaks, clianthus puniceus DECORATIVE: Lemonwood (pittosporum eugenoides) leaves can be used to make a wreath. ‘albus’ or ‘white heron’, surrounded by a collar of white veronicas (hebes) would look lovely. I made a wreath using garden gleanings. I wrapped the ring in cabbage tree (tī kōuka) leaves, added a few tōtara and lemonwood (pittosporum eugenoides) leaves, sprigs of veronica (hebe) and a few white mānuka flowers and tied it all up with green and white ribbons. It really is that easy to have a Kiwi Christmas. Herbs made easy Some of the easiest plants to grow are herbs and flowers. Getting to know these garden staples is also a great way to learn about the basics of gardening Step 1: Mint To grow it well and noninvasively, always plant mint in a big pot in quality media (potting mix) with a few water crystals to help keep the plant moist (not waterlogged) and make sure it gets a little shade during the hottest part of the day. Step 2: Which herbs go with mint? Plant parsley and coriander in the same pot as mint, because these herbs love moist soil too. Make sure you give each plant plenty of room to expand as they grow. Step 3: Which herbs like drier soil? Thyme (common, pizza, lemon), rosemary and fragrant oregano, prefer being more dry than moist and love soaking in all day sun. They prefer less nitrogen so they can develop their fragrant oils. Step 4: Basil the loner Basil (common, purple, thai, giant, tiny leafed) needs a little more care to produce a good harvest. Grow it in a big pot that can be moved around to catch the sunshine and remove it from windy conditions. Do not water basil plants directly on the leaves or the soil as the dampness may attract fungal disease. Step 5: Add coriander It’s easy as long as you plant the seeds just below the surface and right where you want them to grow in your garden. To slow down the ‘bolting’ of coriander harvest it often. Step 6: Easy flower growing To start an easy Christmas flower garden, cultivate a small space or garden edge and turn some heat-treated sheep pellets into the soil. Then grab a mix of marigold and cornflower seeds and throw them across the garden. Place a thin layer of soil on top and water them in. Now buy some flower seedlings of your choice and place them at regular (or irregular) spaces throughout the growing space. Make sure you water the garden daily. STORES OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT $ 29EA SAVE $10 Indoor Phalaenopsis Orchid Pot* Assorted. #9421900874699 $ Come in store for blooming bargains this weekend $ 99 SAVE $50 5EA EVERY DAY Osteospermum Tradewinds Pot* Assorted. #9418468009076 Urban Shed Zinc 150cm x 100cm x 180cm. #9417648795358 BUY 1 GET 1 HALF PRICE Lowest or equally priced item of the 2 will be half price. Interworld Plastic Pots & Saucers Shrub Pot 33cm #9415829021302 $6EA $ 3 FOR 20 ANY2 FOR $ 40 Citrus Plants PB8 Grade* #9401025590582 Kiwi Garden Landscape Bark 40L #9401056092093 Mature plant pictured. BUY 1 GET 1 FREE #9400007206213 $15EA Westminster Non-Woven Black Weedmat 20m x 1m OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE GET THE APP CLICK & COLLECT TWLWK21GDNA. Valid until Monday 24/12/18. South Island stores only. Some deals may extend. While stocks last. All offers not in conjunction with any other offers. All deals exclude As Seen on TV products unless otherwise stated. Apparel offers exclude Schooltex. Range, colour and designs may vary between stores, including online. If unavailable, most deals can be ordered in store (freight fees may apply). Trade quantities not supplied. Money-Back Guarantee: So you can buy in confidence, we offer a full 12 months money-back guarantee with proof of purchase. The product must be in re-saleable condition unless faulty or defective. Exceptions: Products covered by warranty, hygiene products (e.g. underwear, earrings) and products protected by copyright infringement (CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray & Gaming). Accessories not included. Assembly required. See in store for details. Branded Import items are genuine branded products and carry our famous Money-Back Guarantee. Customer Support: For any queries relating to Branded Imports, Insurance or product availability please contact your local store, 0800 Red Shed (0800 733 743), or go to thewarehouse.co.nz. ^Milford and Mosgiel open until 10pm. *Products not available at Alexandra, Atrium (Auckland), Barrington, Birkenhead, Clendon, Dunedin, Glenfield, Hamilton, Johnsonville, Kaikohe, Lower Hutt, Milford, Mosgiel, Newmarket, New Lynn, Richmond, Rolleston, St Lukes, Tauranga, Tokoroa, Tory St (Wellington) or Whakatane stores. Dry Gardening products are not available at Atrium (Auckland), Barrington, Tokoroa or Tory St (Wellington) stores. Not all Dry Gardening products in this mailer will be available at Clendon, Glenfield, Hamilton, Johnsonville, Kaikohe, Kaitaia, Milford, Mosgiel, Newmarket, Queenstown, Richmond, Rolleston, St Lukes or Whakatane stores. Available in most stores, or order in store or online.
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The Star: December 20, 2018

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