Selwyn_Times: October 01, 2021

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4 | SELWYN GARDENING GUIDE SPRING 2021 A gardener’s dream job becomes a reality Words & Photos: Fi Maddison What is it like to work in the shadow of 100+ year old trees or under the gaze of a stately home built in 1912? Local gardener Rhyannon Gregg knows exactly what it is like and feels privileged to have a job she loves with a passion. “You feel special when you are here,” she says. “When I arrive each day, I take a walk around the garden to see what has happened and get super excited when I find something new or a particular plant has flowered.” This year is Rhyannon’s third spring looking after the Racecourse Hill Homestead gardens. She has always enjoyed gardening from a tender young age and has a background working in nurseries. “Gardening has grounded me,” she says. “It has a purpose and makes my heart sing. Everyone should have a bit of soil to garden in.” Rhyannon’s journey at Racecourse Hill started when her partner, Brandon, a tree specialist, was working at the estate and she made regular visits on the pretext of taking him his lunch. While she was there, she would pull a few weeds and just enjoy spending time wandering around the gardens. After Brandon approached the owner, Denver Glass, Rhyannon was soon offered the opportunity to look after the church gardens and since then has steadily worked her way around the property, now working 20 hours a week. For Rhyannon, it was a dream come true but she soon learnt that she had to keep some of her enthusiasm in check, quickly realizing that she needed to work on restoring the gardens already there rather than creating new ones. HydRoSEEdINg, INStaNt LawNS aNd LaNdSCaPINg • Locally owned & operated • Residential & commercial lawns • Hydroseeding • Instant roll out lawn • Full lawn preparations • Site clearing • Erosion and dust control • Irrigation • Posthole boring • Landscaping • No job too small Call us today to discuss all your lawn and landscaping requirements Phone 347 4000 or 027 456 7777 Email zac@canterburylawns.co.nz www.canterburylawns.co.nz
$8.00 incl. GST SELWYN GARDENING GUIDE SPRING 2021 | 5 She says, “It’s about bringing out the beauty of what they have, otherwise it would be endless.” When she first started she soon realised the garden needed softening; it already had numerous trees – some over 100 years old, including a magnificent sequoia, several varieties of oaks, field maples, limes, chestnuts and conifers. There were also a number of established rhododendrons, a few daffodils and a small orchard. Rhyannon has since planted new rhododendrons, numerous perennials, and thousands of daffodils that came from her aunt’s property, previously a daffodil farm. Rhyannon is keen to know who planted the trees, where all the naturalised bulb plantings have gone and was there originally a vegetable garden? “I’ve tried to find out about the early history of garden but there doesn’t seem to be any information kept about it. It’s been more about the house and no-one seems to know,” she says, “I’ve asked plenty of people including previous owners. Old photos just don’t show any gardens.” Part of her joy in the garden is finding unexpected little treasures such as when she cleared the bank behind the house and found that some dainty, double flowering snowdrops had popped up or when, in amongst the clearings under the big trees, she found some violets. She says there are plans to create some paths amongst the towering giants and naturalise the area beneath them with aquilegia and foxgloves. Now with the gardens coming to life and attracting the attention they deserve, Racecourse Hill is open to the public. “It’s a shame for people to just drive past and not to share it,” says Rhyannon, who has been working steadily with the owner and the estate manager to offer weddings, group visits by appointment and open days to visitors. The stately 1912 homestead, designed by architect Cecil Wood, now has a garden that not only complements its English domestic revival design but will also bring pleasure to all those who wander through its gardens for years to come. Racecourse Hill Homestead will be open to the public on the 10th and 31st October, and the 21st November. To find out more about the open days or to book a group visit or wedding, visit: www. racecoursehillhomestead.com The Right Fence at the Right Price growing with you Issue 506 | July 2021 | 100% Vege patch priorities Sprouting potatoes & starting strawberries Are you ready to grow? For real Kiwi gardeners who like to get their hands dirty. Roundwood Farm Posts Deer Fencing Post and Rail Fencing Yarding Timber Oregon Rails Oregon Gates Sheep & Deer Netting Gallagher Strainrite Fencing Systems a plum job How the Russells fill our fruit bowls ExpEcT ThE unExpEcTEd Weirdly wonderful houseplants SubScribe From $ 20 GardEn wadErS Plants that like wet feet YOUR LOCAL TIMBE R M E RCHANT O PEN Mon-Fri 7.00am - 5.00pm Saturday 8.00am - 12.00pm C O N TACT: JASON PESTER P 03 347 7465 F 03 347 7032 jason@cthl.co.nz 167 MANION ROAD, WEEDONS 8441, CHRISTCHURCH Visit us via our New Entrance on 167 Manion Road 167 9 416770 121318 Subscriptions 0800 77 77 10 kiwigardenermagazine.co.nz
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Selwyn_Times: October 01, 2021

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