I had a very kind email about our web site this morning from a 'neighbour'
in Ashburton, NZ! She sent me a link to a fantastic garden there which
unhappily, we didn't know about at the time. It may be a bit of
inspirational cheer for urglers waiting for their own gardens to wake up:
http://www.trotts.co.nz/

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

In message , Sacha
writes
I had a very kind email about our web site this morning from a 'neighbour'
in Ashburton, NZ! She sent me a link to a fantastic garden there which
unhappily, we didn't know about at the time. It may be a bit of
inspirational cheer for urglers waiting for their own gardens to wake up:
http://www.trotts.co.nz/

Thanks for this Sacha. It also served to remind me to ask you for a
couple of recommendations of gardens to visit in NZ - ones that you
found particularly interesting during your trip. We're going there on
holiday for most of Nov & Dec this year. Not visiting friends or
relations, just on holiday. We plan to visit from Stewart Is. to the top
of North Island. Any suggestions welcome .... hope this isn't too much
OT.

Many thanks.
--
Tom W.
Deepest Dorset

On 11/2/09 13:59, in article , "Tom
Withycombe" wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
I had a very kind email about our web site this morning from a 'neighbour'
in Ashburton, NZ! She sent me a link to a fantastic garden there which
unhappily, we didn't know about at the time. It may be a bit of
inspirational cheer for urglers waiting for their own gardens to wake up:
http://www.trotts.co.nz/

Thanks for this Sacha. It also served to remind me to ask you for a
couple of recommendations of gardens to visit in NZ - ones that you
found particularly interesting during your trip. We're going there on
holiday for most of Nov & Dec this year. Not visiting friends or
relations, just on holiday. We plan to visit from Stewart Is. to the top
of North Island. Any suggestions welcome .... hope this isn't too much
OT.

Many thanks.

Tom, I'm rather ashamed to say that we didn't do any garden visits as such.
For possibly the first time in his life, Ray didn't want even a hint of a
busman's holiday! But we saw plenty of private gardens of the places we
stayed in because like you, we were just holidaying and driving ourselves
around. These ranged from a property in about 48 acres to some with quarter
of an acre or less, lovingly planted and looked after. One, in Wanaka, had
a stream rushing through the garden with ducks and their ducklings on it.
In a sense, the whole place is a garden because of the gorgeous things
growing wild, especially tree ferns in the North Island and in parts of the
South Island. And if you go to Milford Sound look out for the lupins
growing wild on the side of the river bed on the road up from Te Anau. It's
the most fantastic sight and scent. On the Wilmot Pass going to Doubtful
Sound there are wonderful banks of ferns and mosses which I'd love to have
been able to cut out and bring home. As to other suggestions, may I email
you with some of our experiences and travels?

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

In message , Sacha
writes
On 11/2/09 13:59, in article , "Tom
Withycombe" wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
I had a very kind email about our web site this morning from a 'neighbour'
in Ashburton, NZ! She sent me a link to a fantastic garden there which
unhappily, we didn't know about at the time. It may be a bit of
inspirational cheer for urglers waiting for their own gardens to wake up:
http://www.trotts.co.nz/

Thanks for this Sacha. It also served to remind me to ask you for a
couple of recommendations of gardens to visit in NZ - ones that you
found particularly interesting during your trip. We're going there on
holiday for most of Nov & Dec this year. Not visiting friends or
relations, just on holiday. We plan to visit from Stewart Is. to the top
of North Island. Any suggestions welcome .... hope this isn't too much
OT.

Many thanks.

Tom, I'm rather ashamed to say that we didn't do any garden visits as such.
For possibly the first time in his life, Ray didn't want even a hint of a
busman's holiday! But we saw plenty of private gardens of the places we
stayed in because like you, we were just holidaying and driving ourselves
around. These ranged from a property in about 48 acres to some with quarter
of an acre or less, lovingly planted and looked after. One, in Wanaka, had
a stream rushing through the garden with ducks and their ducklings on it.
In a sense, the whole place is a garden because of the gorgeous things
growing wild, especially tree ferns in the North Island and in parts of the
South Island. And if you go to Milford Sound look out for the lupins
growing wild on the side of the river bed on the road up from Te Anau. It's
the most fantastic sight and scent. On the Wilmot Pass going to Doubtful
Sound there are wonderful banks of ferns and mosses which I'd love to have
been able to cut out and bring home. As to other suggestions, may I email
you with some of our experiences and travels?

Thank you Sacha. Quite understandable on Ray's part .... a holiday is
supposed to be just that; a relief from the normal grind.

Basically our plans a into Christchurch drive South - Stewart
Island, all the places in the SW of SI that you mention - up the West
coast - Picton - then N. Island. Chris (Senior Management) is very
"into" gardening and gardens and I do the labouring! She is mainly
involved in herbaceous and I shrubs and trees. We both love wildflowers
(Norway is great for Lupins too - so similar in topography to West of S.
Island) and I am v. keen on ornithology. So we hope both to enjoy the
trip (and wine).

Your experiences would be most helpful and we are very grateful for your
kind offer to E-mail us. The address shown above is accurate if you
remove the obvious Invalid. Any particular recommendations on B&B or
hotels would be especially welcome.

Again - many thanks.
--
Tom Withycombe
Milck House
Dorset/UK

In article , Sacha
writes
[snipped]
And if you go to Milford Sound look out for the lupins
growing wild on the side of the river bed on the road up from Te Anau. It's
the most fantastic sight and scent.

Actually these lupins are a pest in New Zealand. When we were there 7
years ago we found that they were growing everywhere and gangs of
workmen were spraying the roadside clumps with weedkiller.

I brought back a few seeds from the Blenheim area and they germinated
here but the plants died. A pity, because they are a bright yellow and
do look lovely.

Regarding Ashburton, when we passed through the town we noticed that
someone had added an 'H' to the front of the name on the road sign!

Roy.
--
Roy Bailey
West Berkshire.

On 14/2/09 09:10, in article , "Roy
Bailey" wrote:

In article , Sacha
writes
[snipped]
And if you go to Milford Sound look out for the lupins
growing wild on the side of the river bed on the road up from Te Anau. It's
the most fantastic sight and scent.

Actually these lupins are a pest in New Zealand. When we were there 7
years ago we found that they were growing everywhere and gangs of
workmen were spraying the roadside clumps with weedkiller.

Hmmm, well I don't think it's done much good because they were everywhere to
be seen last Nov/Dec.

I brought back a few seeds from the Blenheim area and they germinated
here but the plants died. A pity, because they are a bright yellow and
do look lovely.

Those are the tree lupins, aren't they? We saw the 'escaped' Russell lupins
as well and yes, we were told they're a pest, too as is the Cytisus which is
rapidly taking over. Dog roses are giving them a good run for their money.
I had a very small sneaking feeling that the locals are beginning to realise
that while the lupins annoy them, the visitors go into raptures over them.
Those at Milford Sound were being photographed constantly as we drove up and
back.

Regarding Ashburton, when we passed through the town we noticed that
someone had added an 'H' to the front of the name on the road sign!

Roy.

!!


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

On 14/2/09 13:14, in article ,
"Martin" wrote:

On Sat, 14 Feb 2009 12:35:52 +0000, Sacha wrote:

On 14/2/09 09:10, in article , "Roy
snip

Regarding Ashburton, when we passed through the town we noticed that
someone had added an 'H' to the front of the name on the road sign!

Roy.

!!

Not at all up to defaced Cuck and our local Puck restaurant standards.

The local Ing Bank car park sign is frequently defaced from P-ING.
A Leiden train station name has been modified from Lammenschans to Lammen Hans
(
Lame Hans)

We must have a better class of vandal round here. The best I've seen in
Torquay is Cary Park to Scary Park. ;-)
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

On Feb 11, 8:04*am, Sacha wrote:
I had a very kind email about our web site this morning from a 'neighbour'
in Ashburton, NZ! *She sent me a link to a fantastic garden there which
unhappily, we didn't know about at the time. *It may be a bit of
inspirational cheer for urglers waiting for their own gardens to wake up:http://www.trotts.co.nz/

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

How lovely and so very English!

Judith

On 14/2/09 15:00, in article
, "Judith
in France" wrote:

On Feb 11, 8:04*am, Sacha wrote:
I had a very kind email about our web site this morning from a 'neighbour'
in Ashburton, NZ! *She sent me a link to a fantastic garden there which
unhappily, we didn't know about at the time. *It may be a bit of
inspirational cheer for urglers waiting for their own gardens to wake
up:http://www.trotts.co.nz/

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

How lovely and so very English!

Judith

Some of the gardens we saw were sub-tropical in the North Island but became
more English in the cooler South Island. I envied them their fabulous
roses, which were aphid and disease free in every case bar one. And they
told us this is the first season they've had aphids. I was pale green!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

On Feb 14, 3:12*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 14/2/09 15:00, in article
, "Judith



in France" wrote:
On Feb 11, 8:04*am, Sacha wrote:
I had a very kind email about our web site this morning from a 'neighbour'
in Ashburton, NZ! *She sent me a link to a fantastic garden there which
unhappily, we didn't know about at the time. *It may be a bit of
inspirational cheer for urglers waiting for their own gardens to wake
up:http://www.trotts.co.nz/

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

How lovely and so very English!

Judith

Some of the gardens we saw were sub-tropical in the North Island but became
more English in the cooler South Island. *I envied them their fabulous
roses, which were aphid and disease free in every case bar one. *And they
told us this is the first season they've had aphids. * I was pale green!
--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

I would be also aphids are the bane of my life. I am trying very hard
to not use sprays but it is almost impossible not to at times.

Judith

In article ,
Judith in France wrote:
On Feb 14, 3:12=A0pm, Sacha wrote:
On 14/2/09 15:00, in article
Some of the gardens we saw were sub-tropical in the North Island but beca=
me
more English in the cooler South Island. =A0I envied them their fabulous
roses, which were aphid and disease free in every case bar one. =A0And th=
ey
told us this is the first season they've had aphids. =A0 I was pale green=
!

I would be also aphids are the bane of my life. I am trying very hard
to not use sprays but it is almost impossible not to at times.

Let's see what happens after the first winter in a decade.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 14/2/09 16:20, in article
, "Judith
in France" wrote:

On Feb 14, 3:12*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 14/2/09 15:00, in article
, "Judith



in France" wrote:
On Feb 11, 8:04*am, Sacha wrote:
I had a very kind email about our web site this morning from a 'neighbour'
in Ashburton, NZ! *She sent me a link to a fantastic garden there which
unhappily, we didn't know about at the time. *It may be a bit of
inspirational cheer for urglers waiting for their own gardens to wake
up:http://www.trotts.co.nz/

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

How lovely and so very English!

Judith

Some of the gardens we saw were sub-tropical in the North Island but became
more English in the cooler South Island. *I envied them their fabulous
roses, which were aphid and disease free in every case bar one. *And they
told us this is the first season they've had aphids. * I was pale green!
--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

I would be also aphids are the bane of my life. I am trying very hard
to not use sprays but it is almost impossible not to at times.

Judith

We don't grow a lot of them but where we do have aphids I hang bird feeders.
They find the feeders and the aphids.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

On 14/2/09 16:49, in article ,
" wrote:

In article
,
Judith in France wrote:
On Feb 14, 3:12=A0pm, Sacha wrote:
On 14/2/09 15:00, in article
Some of the gardens we saw were sub-tropical in the North Island but beca=
me
more English in the cooler South Island. =A0I envied them their fabulous
roses, which were aphid and disease free in every case bar one. =A0And th=
ey
told us this is the first season they've had aphids. =A0 I was pale green=
!

I would be also aphids are the bane of my life. I am trying very hard
to not use sprays but it is almost impossible not to at times.

Let's see what happens after the first winter in a decade.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

We had a couple of mozzies in the house after the first few frosty nights
and I started wondering just what it takes to be shot of them. Touching
wood as I write this, we haven't seen one for quite a few days, even though
it's gone up to around 6 or 7c and been sunny.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

On Feb 14, 4:49*pm, wrote:
In article ,
Judith in France wrote:

On Feb 14, 3:12=A0pm, Sacha wrote:
On 14/2/09 15:00, in article
Some of the gardens we saw were sub-tropical in the North Island but beca=
me
more English in the cooler South Island. =A0I envied them their fabulous
roses, which were aphid and disease free in every case bar one. =A0And th=
ey
told us this is the first season they've had aphids. =A0 I was pale green=
!

I would be also aphids are the bane of my life. *I am trying very hard
to not use sprays but it is almost impossible not to at times.

Let's see what happens after the first winter in a decade.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

But Nick here in France it is the norm where I live to have this
weather and it doesn't seem to make any difference to aphids.

Judith

On Feb 14, 11:52*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 14/2/09 16:49, in article ,



" wrote:
In article
,
Judith in France wrote:
On Feb 14, 3:12=A0pm, Sacha wrote:
On 14/2/09 15:00, in article
Some of the gardens we saw were sub-tropical in the North Island but beca=
me
more English in the cooler South Island. =A0I envied them their fabulous
roses, which were aphid and disease free in every case bar one. =A0And th=
ey
told us this is the first season they've had aphids. =A0 I was pale green=
!

I would be also aphids are the bane of my life. *I am trying very hard
to not use sprays but it is almost impossible not to at times.

Let's see what happens after the first winter in a decade.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

We had a couple of mozzies in the house after the first few frosty nights
and I started wondering just what it takes to be shot of them. *Touching
wood as I write this, we haven't seen one for quite a few days, even though
it's gone up to around 6 or 7c and been sunny.
--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

We too got a few in including a bluebottle, they came on the logs.

Judith