The Star: August 01, 2019

news online at www.star.kiwi
Back to school for
Kiwi songstress
Thursday August 1 2019 The Star
GARDENING 21
The next generation of
musical talent is getting
a quick-fire insight into
the inner workings
of the professional
music industry, thanks
to three well-known
local artists and the
Christchurch Arts
Festival
JULIA DEANS will tell you
she isn’t nervous about her
upcoming performance in the
Christchurch Arts Festival.
She says that with a laugh.
On August 3, Deans will join
Samoan, Tongan and Māori soul
sister Bella Kalolo and author
and musician Flip Grater, in
performing Like Water with
Burnside High School’s awardwinning
Bel Canto Choir.
The show, at the James Hay
Theatre, is unlike anything
Deans or the choir have ever
done before.
“It was my crazy harebrained
scheme,” said Deans.
The Christchurch songstress
is the curator and director of the
performance, which features the
30-strong high school choir that
Deans and Bella Kalolo were
once members of.
“I’ve wanted to do something
with the choir for ages.”
The “Christchurch-centric”
focus of this year’s Christchurch
Arts Festival provided Deans
with the perfect platform to
bring her idea to life.
SHOWTIME: Musician Julia
Deans will join Burnside
High School’s awardwinning
Bel Canto Choir
for a performance in the
Christchurch Arts Festival.
“It just all fell into place. I’m
just hoping the school aren’t
regretting the decision – there’s
a lot of work involved,” said
Deans.
“They are getting dumped in
the deep end with this. It’s going
to be a real experience for them
in terms of seeing how a performance
works and a production
WORKING
WITH THE
STARS:
Burnside
High
School’s Bel
Canto Choir
rehearsing
with
musician
Julia Deans. ​
comes together. It will be a sharp
look into what it’s like to work in
the music industry.
Deans graduated from Burnside
High School in 1992 and
has many fonds memories from
within the music block, where
her musical passions and talents
were nurtured.
“It was having that encouragement
to perform and explore
different things.”
Deans said Bel Canto has been
working incredibly hard under
the guidance of conductor Sue
Densem, to get up to speed for
the August 3 performance.
“It’s definitely not their normal
thing. Bel Canto has a very pure
sound and in this, we’re
asking them to relax and shake it
up,” Deans said.
Yet there is no denying everyone
is loving the challenge.
“From the look of their smiling,
happy faces, I think they’re
really enjoying themselves – as
am I.”
Deans is looking forward to
moving into full rehearsals with
the band, in the lead up to the
August 3 show.
“When I told them the band
were all women as well, they got
super excited about that too.”
Christchurch Arts Festival
director George Parker said Like
Water is a project he would like
to see continuing throughout
festivals.
“We’ve got a local female artist
working with a local choir
and it’s an opportunity to have
these wonderful artists, who
have forged out these amazing
careers, working with upcoming
talent. And that’s an opportunity
for everyone to create something
really exciting.”
The Christchurch Arts Festival
runs until Saturday.
Time for lawn care
EARLY AUGUST is the time to
attack the thatch on your lawns.
Thatch is caused by several
factors, including grass
type, excessive watering, soil
compaction, high or low soil
pH,or overuse of fertiliser and
pesticides.
Remove a core of soil from the
lawn with a trowel or shovel and
measure the depth of the thatch,
which is the layer of dead grass
above the soil line.
A layer that’s 1cm to 2.5cm
thick can be removed with a stiff
lawn rake. Deeper layers may
require a power rake.
The best time to de-thatch is
just before the grass begins a
period of active growth, which is
usually early spring.
For lawns with more than an
3cm of thatch, power rakes or
vertical mowers will need to be
used and can be hired.
Mow the lawn a little lower
than usual. If needed, water it to
moisten the soil.
If you use a thatching rake, pull
the blade-like tines across the
lawn, cutting through the thatch.
Work in sections, then remove
the debris.
If you re using a power rake or
vertical mower, adjust the cutters to
slice just through the thatch layer.
Check cutter depth after the first
metre. Run the machine in parallel
rows over the lawn and then again
at 90 deg to the first pass. Remove
debris with a lawn rake.
Over-seed with a good-quality
grass seed to improve the lawn’s
health, vigour, and appearance.
Other tips for early August
DEAD
GRASS:
Try using
a lawn
rake to
attack
the
thatch.
EDIBLES
• Dig over vacant areas and
leave for frosts to pulverise the
lumps.
• Apply lime to vegetable garden
plots where green crops were dug
to increase worm activity.
• Spread a general fertiliser on
areas to be planted next month.
• Check peach, apricot and nectarine
buds frequently. Spray with
copper before bud burst to protect
against curly leaf. Same spray
for bladder plum.
• In warm areas begin sowing in a
protected position lettuces, peas,
silver beet and spinach.
• Sow outdoors hardy herbs, tender
herbs under glass.
• In warm areas or towards the
end of the month sow under glass
courgettes, eggplants, peppers
and tomatoes.
• Plant out asparagus, globe artichokes,
cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce,
onions and silver beet.
• Divide and replant rhubarb.
• Fertilise citrus generously
towards the end of the month.
ORNAMENTAL
• Plant deciduous trees, shrubs.
• Complete pruning of roses and
cutting back of all perennials.
• Complete mulching garden beds.
GENERAL
• Slugs and snails abound, spread
slug bait
• Ensure all-seasons oil and copper
sprays have been applied to all
fruit trees and roses.
The magazine for gardeners who
like to get their hands dirty
SUBSCRIBE FROM
$43. 50*
*6 issues/6 months
$7.90
SUBSCRIPTIONS FREEPHONE
0800 77 77 10
WWW.GARDENER.KIWI
growing with you June 2018 | 100%
Plants For
winter wow
Cool Choices
For Colour
& Contrast
From swamp
to sea views
The journey
begins with sarah
the Gardener
incl. GST
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
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