It’s been steady but slow since Christmas say the retailers we rang for March Comm Hort – and everything is running late.
“It’s a late season because my own tomatoes look now as they would normally do in November, so I’m hoping they’ll push into flower with this drier weather,” said Peter Dunshea of Twiglands in Wellington, echoing what home gardeners throughout the country have been saying.
Linda Fussell of House and Garden, Church Corner, Christchurch (formerly McCully’s) said sales had been “very spasmodic” and Janie Poulton of Palmers Taupo said “it’s been a slow time through February,” but rain on March 1 after three weeks of none “should bring the gardeners out.”
However Rhys
Gibbs of Nichols on Teviot, Dunedin, reported being “very positive following a
strong Christmas through to February
In other
news, we report on tour of NZ nurseries and garden centres by a group of 24
nursery people from Alberta, Canada, where they have “only 120 frost-free days
per year and a small growing window. You don’t know how spoilt you are being
able to grow almost year round,” said tour leader Wayne Beck.
Bob and Cath
Matthews held an open day to mark the 60th anniversary of their
Mathews Rose nursery in Wanganui.
Merv Cox, of
Cox’s Begonia World in Christchurch says he is going to retire after almost 60
years in the nursery game. The nursery is for sale but the land will be
subdivided if no sale is made.
Kings Plant
Barn, which now has a chain of garden centres in and around Auckland, celebrates
15 years in business.
Veg-Gro
Supplies is re-named Horticentre Ltd
300 people
turned out to hear a talk by British nurseryman, Adrian Bloom, of the
long-established Blooms of Bressingham nursery. Commenting on a decline in
overall plant sales in the UK, Adrian said it was linked to changing
demographics “an increasingly older population and a younger population which
is not really interested (in gardening), especially those under 40.”
A new
Palmers Garden Centre opens in Levin. Owners are Neil Scarisbrick and Angie
Leyshon, newly arrived from the UK.
We report on
a big revamp of Goldpine Garden Centre in Richmond, Nelson, with pics of its new
and unique red sail cloth covers.
Daltons
announce they’ll be sponsoring a Nursery of the Year award this year.
NGIA’s
membership manager, Kimberley Barr, is leaving in April and will move to
Australia later this year. Her place is being taken over by Francis Palmer,
formerly manager of Williams Garden Centre, Wellington.
8000 people
visited the Auckland Botanic Gardens on its open day to celebrate its 25th
anniversary.
We have a
report on the recent Australian Nursery Conference, dominated this year by
discussions on the country’s drought and ways to combat its effects on
gardening.
Kerry
Johnstone reports on his conversations with nurseries around the country
FEATURES
IN COMM HORT MARCH 2007
BUSH FIRES COME TO PANROCK RIDGE
Nurserymen Neil Marriott tells how he and his family fought to save their White
Gum Nursery and its precious grevillea collection.
FEATURE
NURSERY – KERIKERI PLANT PRODUCTION
Tom Lindesay and Julia Colgan tell the story of their nursery, which began
on a stunning lifestyle block on the Hokianga Harbour.
FEATURE
PLANT – PSEUDOPANAX. PART 2
This month retailers talk about their experiences with this NZ native,
what’s popular with the public and why.
MAYOR ISLAND
Graeme Platt is back, this time in search of the perfect-flowering
pohutukawa on Mayor Island, off the coast of the Bay of Plenty.
BOOK
REVIEWS
WHAT WE
CAN LEARN FROM SPAIN
John Stanley reports on a visit to Barcelona
Above is a synopsis of articles printed in one issue of Commercial Horticulture - Magazine of the Nursery Industry.
For information on Commercial Horticulture, including subscribing, please visit the Comm Hort Feature Page.