Retro rose still the best! - Oct 28, 2016
Dear Gardening Friends,
I drove up Hill Street in Camden during the week and spotted these spectacular White Iceberg Roses. These heritage houses on top of the hill, have been beautifully landscaped, and the White Iceberg Roses were really putting on a show. This rose was first released in 1958 by Kordes in Germany and it is still the biggest selling white rose today.
It is almost black spot resistant if grown in the ground and it has less thorns than other roses. It has bunches of flowers rather than single stems, so the plant gets covered in flowers. Plant them in a row and the floral display is even more powerful. We have some nice potted plants at the nursery and ours are covered in flowers too!
While in Hill Street I noticed these amazing Foxglove plants growing in the Chiropractors garden. These old fashion flowers really put on a floral show and I think we all should be planting them again. The flowers have freckles so perhaps that's why I love them so much. We have some in pots in the nursery if your garden needs some freckles!
Our Chinese Star Jasmine plant has burst into bloom in our carpark. This fast growing evergreen climber has fragrant white, star shaped flowers. It's easy to grow in sunny or shady positions. You can even use it as a ground cover. We've used ours to cover an ugly fence and its thriving. You can smell the highly perfumed flowers from our lunch room. It's divine!!!! We have plants from just $5.99.
I harvested my home grown Garlic during the week. If you follow our newsletter you will know that we plant Garlic in June and you harvest it in late spring when the leaves turn yellow. I lifted it and then washed the dirt off the roots. I will hang it up to dry in the garage. It will last at least 8 months in storage. I used some in the spaghetti sauce and the taste and fragrance was amazing.
This bunch came from just one clove.
If you've got a shady garden that needs some year round colour, it would be hard to beat Heucheras. These easy to grow, shade or morning sun loving plants, have these coppery coloured leaves throughout the year. Use them as little border plants to define your garden. Or grow them in pots. I've got some growing around my Weeping Japanese Maple and they look spectacular. They do get small flowers too but the foliage is the hero here. Plants cost just $15.99.
Poor Karyn is falling apart at the moment.
We might need to give her a squirt with WD40. Her poor old knees have taken a battering over the years with her Softball career and non stop gardening, but she is still planting up our gardens for everyone to enjoy. The Pansies are out, and fresh new Marigold seedlings have been planted. Karyn prepares the garden first by digging in IGC Planting Compost with a dressing of Tim's Fast Food. She then mulches the garden with Sugar Cane and then plants the seedlings through it. A little snail bait and daily watering is all that is needed to get them started.
I did a delivery yesterday to Richard Thortons place in Campbelltown. Richard has the most spectacular flowering Bougainvillea in his garden and he was so happy when I asked him if I could take his photo beside it. Every garden has one plant that just try's harder than all the rest to please. Richard's Bougainvillea was his signature plant, that's for sure.
Everybody knows that Pig is Wests Tigers number one supporter and this week John Skandalis came out to present pig with a 2017 team scarf. We are all a little jealous of pigs scarf today as the temperature plummets to Melbourne like conditions. Pig and Skando have been mates for years so pig was more than happy to share the milk crate with this league legend. There has never been a better time to get on the West Tigers Bandwagon as this young team starts to blossom.
Happy Gardening
Tim