The Star: December 20, 2018

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.
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