Gardening in North Otago July 1st 2019

                                                        

July soon and frosts in North Otago is as it should be, but mid winter does not mean all in the garden shuts down, despite the cold some of the most fragrant shrubs take center stage later this month. Viburnum, winter sweet, witch hazel and daphne bholua introduce sweet fragrance to gardens unlike any other season. Hellebore's are also budding up, these wonderful plants will bring years of pleasure and there are many new hellebore cultivators on offer now. Another worth while winter interest plant is bergenia, this wonderfully bold foliage edging plant is enhanced by the cold, especially bergenia bressingham ruby turning a deep plum the colder it is then, as a bonus pushes up pinnacles of deep pink flowers in spring. 

Winter pots and baskets: A good time now to empty and refill pots and baskets with cheerful colour, here on the coast the African daisies Osteospermum works for me potted and placed in a sunny sheltered spot, I had some flowering during autumn so have re potted, cut back and they have pushed out new fresh growth which should bud up. Still time to pop bulbs into pots for a spring flowering, use deep pots filled half way with mix, this will allow for stem height. Pansies, violas and alyssum can be packed into hanging baskets for a colourful show. 

Birds will be looking for food this month, our native birds are not fond of grains and bread will attract introduced birds like sparrows and blackbirds. These birds can become dominant and crowd-out our natives, especially the small ones, meaning you might have birds in your garden, but they won’t be natives. Sugar water is the perfect food for nectar-eating native birds. You can make it by mixing 1/3 of a cup of sugar (preferably brown or raw) with 1L of water placed some where safe where cats can’t easily reach. It's well worth making a bird feeder and placing where it can be seen from the house, or hang in a tree. Buy wild bird seed or perhaps just use fat to attract the wax-eyes. Birds will be hungry and, once attracted to the station, become very friendly.  

Veg and fruit: Build up veg gardens by trenching in manure enriched compost then plant leafy greens, onion sets, garlic and brassicas.

 In the fruit garden it’s all about planting new season fruit trees, strawberries, pruning pip fruit and harvesting citrus. 

Cheers, Linda.
                                                                     

Lovely helleborus

                                                                         
                                                                               

Winter sweet (  chimonanthus praecox )