Acer palm.dis. Crimson Princess Plant of the Month
Many thanks to Portstone Garden Centre for this update. CHS Members enjoy a 15% discount at Portstone Garden Centre www.portstone.co.nz Plant of the Month – Japanese Maple As we head into Autumn, we have a wonderful display of weeping maples with vibrant colours of orange, purple, yellow and red. A popular Japanese Maple for … Read More
Flowering Bulbs – March Plant of the Month
Many thanks to Portstone Garden Centre for this update. CHS Members enjoy a 15% discount at Portstone Garden Centre www.portstone.co.nz Plant of the Month – Bulbs Flowering bulbs bring brilliant colours to your garden from late Winter through to Summer. At Portstone, we offer a fantastic selection, including anemones, freesias, ranunculi, hyacinths, scillas, muscari, … Read More
Laurus nobilis – The Bay Tree – February Plant of the Month
Many thanks to Portstone Garden Centre for this update. CHS Members enjoy a 15% discount at Portstone Garden Centre www.portstone.co.nz Plant of the Month Every garden deserves a Bay Tree – the rewards are many. Bay was the ceremonial laurel the ancient Greeks and Romans who bestowed wreaths of bay as crowns for accomplished … Read More
Autumn in the Garden
April Gardening Update Autumn in the Garden With the Equinox behind us, Autumn is in full swing. Leaves are changing colour across the city and countryside, and the garden is transitioning to cooler days. Harvest & Preserve Keep harvesting tomatoes, courgettes, and other Summer crops to preserve for Winter. Freeze them whole, or turn them … Read More
Life in the Garden with Alan Jolliffe
March Gardening Update Canterbury Gardens in Autumn March is ideal for harvesting fruit and vegetables. Surplus produce is common, and freezing remains the most popular preservation method—it’s quick, easy, and cost-effective. Clean, blanch, cool, dry, and pack vegetables into freezer bags before freezing. Bottling fruit and beetroot, while more time-consuming, adds colour to your pantry … Read More
Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – February 2025
February Gardening Update Canterbury Gardens in Summer The weather over the Christmas period was not very summer-like. Below-average temperatures, dull, cloudy days, and double the usual rainfall made gardening quite a challenge. The silver lining for me was the excellent crops of raspberries, strawberries, and blackcurrants. Tomatoes have been slow to ripen, and my stone … Read More