LOVE (IN) YOUR GARDEN Ellerslie International Flower Show 2012

PRESS RELEASE From: Canterbury Horticultural Society Date: 21 February 2012 LOVE (IN) YOUR GARDEN A romantic testament to resilience The Canterbury Horticultural Society 2012 Exhibition Garden at the Ellerslie International Flower Show is a vision of romance and resilience captured by award-winning designer Tony Milne of Rough & Milne Landscape Architects. “As one of the... Read More

Ellerslie Garden Tours 2012

PRESS RELEASE From: Canterbury Horticultural Society Date: 17 January 2012 Christchurch Residents Open Gardens for Ellerslie Garden Tours Freda Hunter, Tour Manager for the Canterbury Horticultural Society has been hosting impressive hand-picked tours for the Society since 1990. This year’s Ellerslie Garden Tours is no exception; bringing together some of the best gardens... Read More

Monthly Tips & Tasks December 2011

All About Gardening, December 2011 with Michael Coulter On checking the rain gauge, it was found that we had 25 mms of rainfall last night. Michael asked whether everybody had seen the cabbage trees this season.  It was the most prolific flowering he had ever seen.  Maori legend has it that if the cabbage trees flower early in the season it means we are in for a long, hot,... Read More

Ellerslie Garden Tours

Small City GardensHalf day tour of the City's most beautiful small gardens. Including: No. 4, No 11, Te Wepu and Marokapara.Available Qty: 20 Select Date : Wed 7 March 8.30am-12.30pmSat 10 March 1.30pm-5.30pm Price: $96.00 High Country GardensFull day tour including history, heritage and hospitality with station owners. Gardens include: Peak Hill Station, The Point and Middle... Read More

Monthly Tips & Tasks November 2011

With water restrictions in force much of this months talk was again about  ways of making hand watering more effective. The use of lengths of nova flow drainage pipes put in the ground near trees and shrubs that can be filled with water on permitted days will direct the water into the root zone of the plants. When planting some tomatoes or other vegetable plants leave a shallow... Read More

The Green Grocer’s Rhubarb Cake with Streusel Topping

There is a small cafe/health food store in Kumeu called The Green Grocer. They make a divine Rhubarb Cake. Ingredients 125g butter 1 ½ cups lightly packed brown sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups plain flour 1 tspn baking soda 1 cup sour cream 2 cups diced rhubarb Streusel Topping ingredients 1/4 cup sugar 1 tspn ground cinnamon 1 tbsp butter, melted 1/2 cup mixed... Read More

Seeds for Canterbury at the Spring Flower and National Daffodil Show

A host of golden daffodils and some unusual variants of the species will star in a special free show at the Canterbury Horticultural Society’s Hall in Hagley Park over the weekend of September 24th and 25th. The daffodil was recently voted second favourite flower of Canterbury by members and friends of the society and its green shoots are widely regarded as the first encouraging... Read More

Monthly Tips & Tasks – September

Spring is here and while it’s a busy time for planting it pays to proceed with caution. Don’t plant anything that may still be tender or likes warm growing conditions as late frosts or cold temperatures may prove fatal. Preparing the ground for planting and sowing is the most important task at this time of the year. Read More  Read More

Spring Garden Tips from Terra Viva

Hope Springs Eternal Once again it’s that exciting time of year again when our primeval instinct to get planting nudges us out into the garden. Spring is particularly welcome for 2011 in the light of this past year.  So many  people tell us that their gardens have kept them sane as they face the challenges of the new post-quake scenario. We’ve always been told that the ‘answer... Read More

Helleborus for Colour

One of the most interesting and popular plants for winter colour is the Helleborus or Lenten Rose. The most commonly grown variety is Helleborus orientalis.  A native of Greece, Turkey and Soviet Georgia, it’s natural habitat is in scrub and at the edges of woods and forests, and a number of variations are often found in the wild. Hellebores bring a delicate splash of colour... Read More