Re: Hi there
- Subject: Re: Hi there
- From: T* &* M* R*
- Date: Sun, 05 Aug 2001 10:25:40 +1200
Nan Sterman wrote:
>
> Hi Moira
>
> I was wondering how Tony is doing in his recovery and how your garden
> is doing. Last I heard, it had suffered in the cold weather.
Nan
How very kind of you to ask. I think the best way I can answer is that
thankfully Tony is in much better condition than my poor garden!! In
fact he is well on the way to regaining full health (not bad at nearly
79 eh?).
As to the garden, it will probably be another 6-8 weeks before new
spring growth will allow the extent of the damage to be assessed, but I
am pretty sure some of my (potted and quite carefully sheltered) Vireya
Rhododendrons at least are stone dead, though a couple of the most hardy
are just about untouched.
My eldest son was enquiring what I would like for my birthday, so I have
suggested some replacements <G>
Another plant which has suffered severely, but not enough to kill it
hopefully, is Arthropidium cirratum. This, the Renga Renga, is of course
native, but mainly a seaside plant from the warmer north, so not very
hardy. I have grown it several seasons without any winter damage, but
this year has really cut it back, even the couple of plants sheltered
under a thick stand of Camellias look pretty sad. The latter are of
course really tough and apart from losing a scattering of already-open
flowers seemed unfazed. My only early Rhododendron however (Christmas
Cheer) had all ita opening buds browned. Fortunately, it was or some
reason unusually late blooming this year (several days later than one
just across the road) so it only lost a small part of its bloom. All the
unopened buds survived and are now putting on a bright show near my
front gate.
One of the most astonishing things I noticed when we had our major night
of frost was in the veg garden. While spinach, leeks, fava beans and
brassicas bounced back the Swiss chard, which is normally quite unfazed
by the cold we get here was quite hard hit, with several of the leaves
(not the youngest curiously) turned to mush. It is only slowly
recovering.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand, SW Pacific. 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Time
