Garden Speaker Series

Creating Hanging Baskets
A workshop with Jenny Oakley

Jenny spent the English spring of 2000 touring English Garden Centres demonstrating ‘Hanging Baskets & Container Gardening’ with Ann Nicholas - previously part of the ‘Two Ann’s team’.
Jenny has a Bachelor of Horticulture in Amenity Horticulture from Massey. She managed Hollard’s Garden while itwas under the QE2 National Trust umbrella & has accomplished a good deal of commercial garden design & maintenance over many years.
She has been involved in beautification projects locally in Manaia & assisted the beautification team at Ellerslie in the early years. Jenny & Guy’s garden became a Garden of National Significance in 2005.
Jenny will inspire you with her workshop & you’ll gain plenty of helpful tips to try at home.

DATE/TIME Sat 30 Oct, 2pm
VENUE Oakley Garden, 79 Lower Normanby Rd, Manaia
ADMISSION Free event, usual garden fee applies ($4)

How to grow Microgreens
Learn from expert Fionna Hill

Author & high-profile floral designer Fionna Hill has extended her interests to planting edibles, she has been growing & eating microgreens for the past several years.
As well as microgreens sparkling with fresh flavours, they have wonderful nutritional properties. Fionna will show how to grow & use these mini magic leaves. Fionna enjoys cooking, & while preferring microgreens raw, she has developed recipes to use them in innovative ways.
In the past year Fionna has been working on two new books, How to Grow Microgreens & A Green Granny’s Garden. Green Granny is about her first year in her allotment in an organic community garden. Signed copies will be available to purchase along with free Kings Seeds sample starter packs of microgreen seeds.

DATE/TIME Sun 31 Oct, 2pm
VENUE Hollards, 1686 Upper Manaia Rd, Kaponga
ADMISSION Free event

Centennial History of Duncan & Davies Nurseries 1910 – 2010
A lecture with Alan Jellyman

Alan Jellyman commenced his horticultural career as an apprentice at Duncan & Davies Nursery. He was later appointed Assistant Curator of Pukekura Park & pursued a 38 year career to become Director of Parks for New Plymouth & Community Services Manager. A notable plantsman he is a Trustee for the Sir Victor Davies Foundation for Horticultural Research & is currently writing the history of Duncan & Davies. As the pre-eminent nursery of New Zealand, Duncan & Davies has a proud record of providing trees & shrubs that have graced our gardens for more than one hundred years.

DATE/TIME Tues 2 Nov, 1pm & Thurs 4 Nov, 1pm
VENUE Stepping Stones Nursery (Duncan & Davies), Waitara Rd, Brixton, New Plymouth
ADMISSION Free event

The Art of Pruning
A practical & informative talk with Greg Rine

Greg is Regional Gardens Manager for the Taranaki Regional Council & has almost 30 years experience as a curator & manager of gardens & parks.
Look at different examples of enhancing your garden through sympathetic & thoughtful pruning.

DATE/TIME Tues 2 Nov, 2pm
VENUE Hollards, 1686 Upper Manaia Rd, Kaponga
ADMISSION Free event

Grow Your Own Rhododendrons
A practical workshop & walk by Erica Jago

Erica, a self taught gardener soon became a rhododendron enthusiast when she discovered the simplicity of growing her own rhododendrons. Join Erica to find out how you can grow rhododendrons on a low cost budget & have loads of fun.

DATE/TIME Weds 3 Nov, 11am
VENUE Merleswood, 597 Beaconsfield Rd, Stratford
ADMISSION Free event, usual garden fee applies ($4)

New & Recent Product Releases
A discussion with Adrian McLeod

Join Adrian to discover the latest in organic sprays & fertilizers, innovative garden tools, fruit & nut trees, shrubs & perennials.
Adrian has a wealth of knowledge to share after his years at Fairfields Garden Centre

DATE/TIME Thurs 4 Nov, 2pm
VENUE Mountside, 137 Ronald Rd, Stratford
ADMISSION Free event, usual garden fee applies ($4)

Tupare – Influences in the House & Gardens (the early years)
A walk & talk by Mitch Graham & Georgie Williams

Sir Russell & Lady Matthews embarked on creating an enchanting home & garden for themselves from a rough slice of Taranaki farmland back in 1932.
Join Mitch & Georgie (Tupare’s gardeners) to see & hear how the Matthews’ dream became the treasure it is today.

DATE/VENUE Friday 5 Nov, 10 am
VENUE Tupare, 487 Mangorei Rd, New Plymouth
ADMISSION Free event

Featuring Plants as Focal Points
A walk & talk by Mark & Abbie Jury

Clipping & shaping to create points of interest. Mark & Abbie Jury will show how to take well-established plants in the garden & turn them into distinctive & eye-catching features. This is not to be confused with topiary elephants & peacocks, but draws instead on traditions of featuring trunks, stacked layers similar to cloud pruning & accentuating natural growth habits.
Delicious home baking available for purchase along with tea & coffee.

DATE/VENUE Sat 6 Nov, 10am
VENUE Tikorangi – The Jury Garden, 589 Otaroa Rd, Waitara
ADMISSION Free event, usual garden fee applies ($12)

Landscaping with Cacti & Succulents
Learn from Plantsman Vance Hooper

Vance Hooper has been a nurseryman for over 30 years & has nearly 40 years experience landscaping with various species of cacti & succulents in different climates. Together with his wife Kathryn, they are developing the garden at Magnolia Grove which is now only in its sixth year of development.
You are encouraged to come & learn about the development of their desert garden & see how it has progressed in just a few years. In his talk & guided tour you will see how to propagate & maintain these architectural plants as well as learn a few pointers on how to develop your own garden of living sculptures.

DATE/TIME Sat 6 Nov, 1pm
VENUE Magnolia Grove, 6 Mahoetahi Rd, Brixton
ADMISSION Free event

Workshop
Start Your Own Vege Garden at Home

Join Vince for a practical workshop on how to kick start your own home vegetable garden from scratch. Learn new skills, save money & enjoy fresh homegrown produce. Get growing now!

DATES Mon Nov 1, 1pm & Weds 3 Nov, 1pm
VENUE Big Jim’s Garden Centre, 1217 Devon Rd, New Plymouth
ADMISSION $5pp, bookings essential