Blueberries: Plant of the Month

Blueberries: Plant of the Month

Autumn Gardening, 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   Although it’s the end of the season for Blueberries, some varieties such as Pink Icing and Tifblue put on a lovely display of autumnal colours, providing interesting landscapes in the form of hedges or … Read More

Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – April 2024

Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – April 2024

Autumn Gardening, Blog, Fruit & Vegetables, Lawns, Monthly Tips & Tasks, News, The Flower Garden

Autumn is a bustling season in the garden, marked this year by noticeable daytime temperature drops in March. Despite morning dews, rainfall remains scarce, leaving soil moisture notably low. This month is prime for lawn renovation in preparation for winter. Feeding, weed spraying, top dressing, and resowing yield optimal results while the soil remains warm … Read More

Foraging New Zealand

Foraging New Zealand

Book of the Month

Foraging New Zealand By Peter Langlands Due in-store mid-April, launch event at Scorpio Books 1 st May (details below). $50. Pre-orders now available – display copy in-store for perusal. www.scorpiobooks.co.nz/product/foraging-new-zealand   New Zealand is full of incredible, edible wild foods — fruit, fungi and seaweed; berries, herbs and more — you only need to know … Read More

The Ethnobotanical: A world tour of Indigenous plant knowledge

The Ethnobotanical: A world tour of Indigenous plant knowledge

Blog, Book of the Month

The Ethnobotanical: A world tour of Indigenous plant knowledge by Sarah E Edwards ISBN: 9781529427400 $75.00   ‘Ethnobotany’ is an interdisciplinary field of study, using both social and natural sciences to explore the relationships between people and plants across cultures. Published in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, this striking, large format book … Read More

Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – February 2024

Monthly Gardening Tips & Tasks – February 2024

Monthly Tips & Tasks

Summer in Christchurch tends to be unpredictable, and this year is no exception. We’ve experienced a mix of hot days and occasional moisture, resulting in a favourable growing season. My stone fruit crops have been abundant, and after their harvest, I’ve applied a fungicidal spray and conducted a light prune to manage unwanted growth. The … Read More

Paul Bangay: A Life in Garden Design

Paul Bangay: A Life in Garden Design

Blog, Book of the Month

Paul Bangay: A Life in Garden Design by Paul Bangay ISBN: 9781760763282 $90.00   Garden designer Paul Bangay likely needs no introduction – widely respected, he is one of Australia’s most sought-after designers, and has worked across the country as well as overseas for over forty years. His latest book, A Life in Garden Design, … Read More

Growing Chrysanthemums

Growing Chrysanthemums

Resources, The Flower Garden

Growing Chrysanthemums Chrysanthemums, or mums, typically bloom in late Summer to early Autumn. The exact blooming period can vary based on the specific variety and local climate conditions. These vibrant flowers often add a burst of colour to gardens and landscapes, creating a stunning display just in time for the autumn season. Growing chrysanthemums can be … Read More

Meet our Bot Tot Wrangler

Meet our Bot Tot Wrangler

Blog, Member of the Month, News

Leonie Jackson Leonie has been a dedicated CHS Member and volunteer for a significant period, dating back to her early involvement with her parents, Rae and Harold Mintrom, at the monthly plant sales table. Despite being a busy mother of three boys and a Primary School teacher, Leonie actively contributed to the legendary annual CHS … Read More