Where are all the NZ Gardeners

24 years ago

Come on, I know you are out there.... I am totally passionate about everything to do with gardening, especially perennials and vegetables and fruit/nut trees... There must be someone out there.....

Perhaps this website should be advertised thoroughly!! I do a 10 minute live radio show every week on radio on gardening so will talk about this site bigtime!

Let's get discussions going! Regards Phlip (not PHILIP!!!)

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Comments (21)

makiwiwhite
24 years ago
Yeah, I agree. Where are all those green fingered tall poppies? Actually my poppies won't 'pop'. They keep being decapitated by....birds? How's it going in Taranaki? It's too cold to weed here in Akl.
Rainz
24 years ago
Phlip
I think the gardeners are hibernating for the winter!

Way to go with the radio show, hope that you get lots of listeners!

It has been quite wet here in Auckland, I'm from the west, we always seem to have far more rain than the rest of Auckland.

I have been busy in the Butterfly House at West Lynn Gardens, over the winter we have put in new concrete paths and are now planting up for the new season.

Would love to get a group of like minded people together sometime to show them around.

Raine
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Talking about color and the use of color in the garden is one of those things that tends to put people in defensive/hostile mode because it's difficult at times to clearly describe what exactly one means when talking about color and the use of color in the garden. So things get misinterpreted or overly simplified as each person brings their own biases and interests to interpret what was said. There is (an annoying :-) ) tendency in some quarters to dismiss color - particularly flowers - as a sort of frivolous, unimportant 'icing on the cake' element in designing a garden. That sort of dismissal of color irritates me greatly. But it also irritates me when the 'any color goes with any other' sort of line is thrown out as an oversimplification. Because the perception of a color can very much depend on what color it is partnered with. Change the partner and you change the effect. So, for me, how I use color in the garden/where I place a particular plant depends on what effect I want to create there. In my early gardening days I went through the polychrome 'anything goes' color phase but became unhappy with that because I began to see, as GP1 said above: ' "Too much color is the equivalent of no color at all". It becomes like a street lined with billboards each competing for attention and no color stands out. ' Now I try to think through what I need to do to create a desired color effect. I don't always get it right - and it can take years to gradualy change the plantings to get to where I want to go - but it has made a noticeable improvement (to me at least!) in my gardening outcomes. GP1 - as a trained artist, you (and the gardening artists in your neighbourhood) probably intuitively use color in your gardens to create desired effects whereas for plebes like me it's something that requires deliberate thought and 'misses the mark' more often! :-) Playing with color to create effects is fun - and not limited to gardening :-) Below is a picture of DH wearing a 'tumbling blocks' sweater I knit about 17 years ago. I was aiming for an 'autumn leaves' color effect. Not perfect by any means but it's still one of his favorite sweaters. The link below is to a Google image seach that shows other sweaters of the same design in different color combinations (the fifth one is DH's sweater....) so you can see how different the sweater looks depending on what colors are used and how they are combined. And that brings me to the issue of 'rules' and styles etc. 'Rule' is one of those words that also immediately gets one's back up because most of us don't particularly like the idea of being ruled! :-) Styles tend to imply a lack of originality - a 'follow the herd' sort of mentality and we all want to be thought of as individuals. But understanding what a particular 'rule' is trying to achieve, and the consequences of breaking it is useful when assessing whether it helps or hinders what you are trying to achieve. 'Rules' can be a sort of distilled 'wisdom'/short cuts that can be useful in getting you where you want to go without having to reinvent the wheel each time! Styles, in a gardening sense, are often a response to particular times, places, cultures environments, etc. Understaning why they are/were popular can be very useful in helping you decide which styles - or elements of a style - can be used or adapted to positive effect in your own garden. That's one of the reasons I like to read widely in garden history - the more I know, the clearer I see what appeals to me and how to achieve it. Certainly my interests and tastes have changed over time but change is a constant in the garden so I'm always looking for ideas that I can incorporate - harmoniously - in the garden. The constant that drives my garden is the desire for it to have a peaceful and harmonious feel while still being a vibrant space. Here is a link that might be useful: tumbling block sweaters
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Dj...I'm so glad you're going ahead with a garden. Maybe you can get other neighbors and community members involved! I do agree that probably planting anything helps negate some pollution. I imagine planting air purifying plants (like the spider fern) would also be beneficial...maybe around the edges of the garden so much pollution gets taken up by the non-edibles? I've also thought maybe something like Tulsi (Holy Basil) would be a good idea as it can do things like remove fluoride from water and detox radiation. The community garden I started at my apartment complex uses railroad ties as its surroundings (not my choice, but still grateful for anything). I noticed any leaves touching the railroad ties would become dry, brittle and eaten away...so the carcinogens definitely affect plants and they are taking up that toxin. However, I was never able to find if the toxins stopped before the fruits/vegetables or if those toxins also leaked into the food I'm eating. Either way - hopefully all the holy basil and fresh, nutrient-dense foods I grow/eat will help combat any negatives of planting within railroad ties.
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brightstar, thanks for showing these lovely photos and bringing back some memories...the first 2 photos especially from my visit back in 2000.... I should also like to add that this garden is noted for its commemorative seats with plaques, I expect you must have seen lots of them.... there are many about the gardens in memory of lost loved ones... one of these is for my brother-in-law who passed some years ago.... his wife, my sister, still lives nearby... ..and their daughter, my niece, is visiting me next month... ...we can see some of the seats including that for my relative.. here ...I'm glad you enjoyed your trip, NZ is noted for its great gardens and wildlife.... but rather too many earthquakes for my liking though....
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Kiwi_oz
24 years ago
I have been to the Westlynn gardens a job well done by the workers to keep the place going.It is a very damp place when wet.
Also recommend people to go and have a look at the butterflies.
Heather
phlip
Original Author
24 years ago
Hi there, whoops its taken me a while to reply! I love butterflies and would love to visit the gardens sometime... I went to a butterfly enclosure on Sentosa Island in Singapore and it was just amazing!! They are such delicate creatures....

I grew up in Invercargill, then moved to Wgtn and lived there from '83 until '99 (with two years overseas amongst that), then Kapiti Coast for 2 years and have been in Taranaki since last November. The soil here is phenomenal!! I had a magnificent garden in Wellington, based on bright yellow clay! Imagine my joy when I slid my spade almost up to its handle (well a slight exagerration!) when I got here! Unfortunately I am between gardens so am making do with helping Mum in hers...
Rainz
24 years ago
Another whoops for the time taken to check in again.
Gald to hear Heather that you have been to West Lynn Gardens, you will notice we have done a lot of work about the place. the butterflies are beautiful, love the caterpillars too!

Over the weekend of 5th and 6th October we're having a working bee, sometimes hard to keep the place weed free, when we don't have enough people.
Any way we have had at least 8 people who came because they saw our pictures on the front page of thelocal Western Leader paper, and the garden club president twisted a few of their members arms, so about 4 of them showed up.
A great day was had by all of us and hopefully some may make the return trip and become a volunteer.

Been planting up all the nectar plants for the butterflies, the season will be apon us sooooooon.

Hope all is well in your gardens now that the weather is changing.

It is so nice to see blossom!!!

Raine (Lorraine)
rosarae
24 years ago
Just stumbled on this forum this morning. Usually haunt the roses forums - but seldom find any kiwis there. I shall return. Nice to know there is gardening life out there - I knew there must be but was beginning to think kiwi people devoted all their time to actually "doing"
Happy surfing all - its much cleaner and warmer but not as rewarding I guess
michellenz
23 years ago
hooray! finally somewhere to talk about gardening!I just found this site this morning and it's alive.I am opening a Mobile Plant Nursery this spring. It's mainly tropical and standards,but i myself will grow anything.
The radio show sounds great.what station is it?
gailnz
23 years ago
I feel I have to support the wellington/wairarapa gardeners down here. I have a very English garden in the Wairarapa which I've created over 15 years from not very much. Stony fairly acid soil, very well drained, hot as hot in summer but some frost in winter. But we can grow citrus as well as the usual cottage stuff. I am grateful to friends' contributions in the way of cuttings and plants over the years and now love to pass on whatever i can to others setting up gardens. I have a fond love of buxus and funny old lonicera nitida for hedges, though the latter created in me a need for an electric hedge clipper! Any topiary ideas from anyone such as what is good apart from the obvious slow-growing sempervirens, what little conifers could lend themselves to spirals and shapes? Thanks.
Peter_NZ
23 years ago
I grow subtropicals and natives in Whakatane, BoP. More details and photos on my homepage.
Peter.
{{gwi:2111456}}
Flick111
23 years ago
Hi, so glad to find a New Zealand forum. I'm a new gardener in Wellington, trying to cram information about gardening in as fast as I can. Been on the net all winter, such a lot to learn! I have a small garden on the hills in Wellington, mostly in shade, reasonably sheltered, get some of the Southerlies but not full blast. Have got some Sweet Woodruff seed, and cannot find any New Zealand references or information on it here in NZ. Anyone grow it?
grannymum
22 years ago
Hi, I have only just found this forum! I live in Hamilton & am only jsut starting to garden again after many years of non-gardening, so am really glad I have found this
philpot
22 years ago
Hi Phlip.I'm up here in South Auckland, (Tuakau). I'm passionate about ponds/watergardens. My 2.5 acres is on a fairly busy therefore noisy intersection. On moving here I planted the entire boundary with trees-mainly N.Z. natives such as pittosporums and tee trees. ten years later the trees ahev grown to maturity which is good but they are getting leggy, i.e. loosing their foliage down below...So now once again i'm beginning to get views of thr road. It'll be quite dry where they are now, any idesa for planting underneath/in between so I can regain my privacy?
Yours. Philip (not PHLIP?
Penny_NZ
22 years ago
Hi from the Wairarapa,

I'm a fairly new gardener too, so very happy to find this forum.
We are renting a house at the moment so I am researching possible plants for my ultimate garden for when we get our own place. It's a challenge to compile a list of Must-Haves!
My criteria at the moment is Fragrant (I have started with a white daphne and am researching roses) or Very Beautiful (eg certain magnolias and roses) or Cheap/Free (cuttings from friends and growing from seed).
Would anyone like to recommend some garden Must-Haves?

Happy gardening!

Penny
debsnzz
22 years ago
Hi Penny NZ, I have recently bought a house in Otago and am also interested in fragrant plants. I recommend sweet pea as an annual, as well as stock, both of which have the bonus of being attractive. You should also look at carnations as even I can grow them from cuttings! Virburnum are often scented and make attractive bushes, but I recommend the evergreens as I hate looking at dormant plants in winter, it's depressing.
Scottyfrog
22 years ago
Gudday, just found this site. Hi from Warkworth, just about finished calving, so getting back into the gardening, What radio station is it???
con0r
22 years ago
hey everyone from windy wellington, will we ever get to garden with all this crazy weather!?!?!?! last summer was so C%#p that i am still holding my breath!
i grew tomatoes and corn last summer just in compost, didnt do too well, they got thrashed by the wind so this year i am trying some nytrophoska blue fertiliser and will let you all knw how it goes!
lets see if i can get a melon out of this summer eh!!!
kiwilad55
22 years ago
Well this kiwi gardener took flight and now lives in the tropics up near Darwin in the Northern Territory in Aussie. I can grow all the things I struggled with back home - have over 250 frangipanis flowering - heleconias, gingers, coconut palms, golden cane palms etc. Mind you it is very hot here right now - low 26 high 40's - waiting for the "wet" season to begin when things will really take off in the garden. Sure is warmer than the Waikato!! Cheers. Kiwilad.
Toddles
21 years ago
Hi from the Bay of Plenty!
I'm an enthusiastic gardner...I am a foilage gardner now working on a new section in Papamoa... love to talk to others who are subtropical minded people

Peace
Todd
vetivert8
21 years ago
To Flick111: Suggest you ring the local CAB and ask for a Herb Society contact for Wellington or Hutt Valley.

I know the national herb people put out a journal - 'Dittany', but I'm not sure if it's indexed. Check in the main Wellington Public Library; they've probably got back issues and woodruff may have been the subject of an article.

For Penny NZ: Oriental lilies (not the asiatics, which are pretty but have little scent), Viola odorata, Michelia doltsopa. If you haven't already found it - try Carne's nursery at the south end of Masterton, and the High Street Nursery a little further up the road on the same side for several 'see and sniff' sessions... Recommend you take a notebook and no more than five dollars, just in case.
kiwilad55
21 years ago
Kia Ora fellow kiwi gardeners. I am originally from Hamilton but now live in the far north of the Northern Territory up near Darwin in Australia. I love it here because I can grow all the tropicals I tried to grow back home - hibiscus, gingers, heliconias, frangipanis, palms, mangoes, pineapples, bananas etc. I love the heat and have been back to NZ several times - pretty cold tho I found. I have over 200 frangipanis flowering which are my passion. I miss NZ very much - it will always be home. Cheers. KL.
sarah_may
21 years ago
Hi everyone, I've just spent 2 weeks in the Bay of Islands checking it all out. It looks much much easier to garden there than it is in North West Sydney. Hopefully I'll be joining your ranks in the next couple of years.

Where are all the NZ Gardeners

Comments (21)

makiwiwhite

Rainz

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