Newsletter
May 2009............
Welcome to the May newsletter. This month
includes lots of interesting things to inspire
you in your garden, including our May calendar.
UNUSUAL AND
HEIRLOOM VEGETABLES
Not happy with just growing your own 'normal'
vegetables, there is also a call for growing
varieties not seen in supermarkets. We can
now accommodate those who hanker for the rare
and bizarre, with seeds from Niche
and new plants from Naturally Native.
Some of the offerings from Niche
just ready to sow right now include:
Rainbow Carrots
Did you know that carrots were originally
white, purple or red with a thin root?
The Dutch developed the carrot as we know
it today in the 1500’s for the Dutch
Royal family – the House of Orange.
Packs of the Rainbow Selection will include
carrots that are purple, red, white and yellow.
Read
more here >
And we've got
Just arrived from Naturally Native are these unusual New Zealand culinary plants:
NZ Spinach Tetragonia tetragonoides
My mother once bought a punnet of this thinking
it was petunia plants – they look so
alike. The leaves are bright green and fleshy
and is particularly good over summer when
other spinach species tend to bolt. Read
more here >
Other Naturally Native plants include;
Click
here to read lots more about these unusual
but delicious vegetables >>
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CAMELLIAS -
ALL SORTS !
We've got a great range of all colours and
types - even some scented. You can use them
for hedges, as standards, containers and of
course as a feature in your garden.
Hedges
Plant 1 metre apart. Prepare soil well by
digging in plenty of organic matter.
Regularly cut back the new growth in spring
each year to encourage bushiness.
Standards
Give them some root room - about 40cm around
- and sit back and watch them flourish!
Containers
We can help you choose a container and even
help you plant them. We can supply the camellia,
the potting mix and fertiliser and there's
many varieties which love pots. Of course,
the standards look great in pots as well as
the garden.
General Care
Do not fertilise when dormant or too early
in spring as this can cause plants to stress,
encouraging black spot and leaf drop. Fertilise
with Burnet’s Gold Rhododendron
& Camellia Food when active
growth starts in August/September for up to
3 months continuous feeding. Re-apply in November/December
and again February/March.
Cut back after flowering. Encourage flowering
by removing spent blooms and preventing energy
going into seed production. Cut back past
the flowers with secateurs. Mulch and keep
well watered through summer months to prevent
bud drop in the following year.
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GARDENING
CALENDAR - MAY
Our May issue covers lots about the kitchen
(vegetables and fruit) as well as the ornamental
garden.
Click
here for the full calendar >>
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 GARLIC
BULBS FOR PLANTING HERE IN MAY
Garlic bulbs will be available to
plant in late May.
Plant amongst your roses to
deter aphis.
Click
here for full details about planting and care
>>
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PESTS OF THE
MONTH
Scale Insects
There are many different types of scale insects
found on fruit trees and ornamentals. Most
are tiny and have hard rounded coverings.
They fix themselves to leaves and stems and
suck sap.
Click here for more information on Scale Insects
>>
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LILIES IN ABUNDANCE
 Lilies
have been part of history and culture dating
from the Minoan Period. Representations of
the lily were found in a villa in Crete dated
around 1580BC. In Greek mythology the lily
was dedicated to the goddess Hera, the wife
of Zeus and the Romans associate it with Venus
and the satyrs, the personification of ‘lustful
ardour’.
With Christianity, the lily became the symbol
of chastity and virtue closely associated
with the Virgin Mary. Lilies are also a symbol
of death, and at one time lilies were placed
on the graves of young innocents. 
Lilies are very easy to grow, flourishing
in a sunny garden with well-drained humus
rich soil. They can be planted from May
through to September.
Lilium regale is our true Christmas lily
with the pink staining - very popular for
its ease of cultivation, display of long glistening
flowers and for their heady perfume.
Lilium longiflorum is the pure white variety
also flowering over December and has a sweet
honeysuckle fragrance.
Lilies make good plants for containers.
Read
more about what lilies to plant, and how to
plant and care for them here >>
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THE LAST WORD!
Remember to watch out for our weekly update
newsletters, often with specials and advice
for each weekend. And you can forward them
on to any of your friends and work colleagues!
Don't forget our winter hours - closing at
4.30pm each day.
Look forward to seeing you soon...............
Anne
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