Workshops in previous years
This page has notes and handouts from Tupare workshops held in previous years.
Container planting (March 2011)
Pests in the city (January 2011)
Jobs in the winter garden (July 2010)
Foundations of a landscaped garden (September 2009)
Information on current year's workshops
Mitch Graham (left) addresses container planting workshop participants.
Container planting (March 2011)
Workshop handout (250 KB)
By Georgie Williams
Before this workshop, I spent $8 at the Hospice Shop on a stylish 1970s saucepan, a Japanese teapot, an old-school biscuit tin, a coconut fibre handbag and a big, brightly coloured mug.
Sitting in the smoko room at Tupare waiting for this workshop to begin, they looked a motley crew. But they looked fabulous once Tupare Garden Manager Mitch had potted them up for the 50-strong crowd at the workshop, using some carefully chosen plants and good soil mix (kindly donated by Fairfields).
You can use just about anything for a container. Just be aware of what it’s made of and what the plant needs by way of space and drainage. Always make drainage holes in the base, or the plant will become waterlogged. At the same time, pots also dry out quickly so if the container material is porous – line them with plastic (also with some holes in the bottom).
Clean the container before potting it up to eliminate the likelihood of pest and disease. And rather than using soil from your garden, buy good-quality potting mix from the garden centre that suits the plants you wish to pot up. For example, lavender is from the Mediterranean and enjoys a free-draining soil rather than something peaty/loamy.
Final tip: Make sure to select healthy plants – then off you go, let your creativity loose!
One of the fun things about pots is that you can move them around according to the season, or the atmosphere you want to create, or if you’re having a do, or for convenience. I have a sunny front porch, so in winter I keep some lettuce and herbs there because it gets maximum warmth and I don’t have to take my slippers off to go out and harvest at night.
Something we learnt from Mitch at this workshop is subtlety in garden design. Rather than have an explosion of clashing colours, use succulents, ferns and hostas to create some neutral tones and textures. Then, in amongst them, incorporate some seasonal splashes of colour with bulbs, annuals and flowering shrubs.
We’d asked the workshop participants to bring along some recycled containers and Mitch worked his magic on a teapot (sweet William and lobelia), a potty (rocket and sweetpeas!) and a handbag (echeveria, thyme and violas). As he says, the only limit is your imagination.
Steve Ellis demonstrates trapping techniques at Tupare.
Pests in the city (January 2011)
By Georgie Williams
If you don't live in the country you may not understand why some animals are classified as pests and much effort goes into controlling them. To get a better understanding, think about the damage they can do in the garden.
This workshop on pests in the city was held at Tupare, where rabbits, possums, feral cats and magpies have all been problems. Rabbits are often spotted, especially around the lawns, and we have to protect tasty young shrubs with wire cages. We also have permanent bait traps.
I once found a live goldfish struggling for air on a path about 20m away from the nearest pond. I was a bit confused at first - maybe it flew (the magical atmosphere at Tupare can sometimes affect you). But we realized the most likely suspect would be a feral cat, so the Taranaki Regional Council pesties came and put out traps for us.
As for the magpies, Garden Manager Mitch Graham tells a good story about how the normally pleasurable job of taking compost material down to the bins on the river flat became a task to be approached with trepidation. Gardeners would be driving the tractor and trailer, enjoying the pastoral scene, and then get the fright of their life from a dive-bombing magpie. Mirrored traps were put out to catch them.
More recently, wasps have been a threat to gardeners - leading some to question whether traditional stubbies truly are the most appropriate summer attire for outdoor work. Wasps can be dealt with by suiting up in protective gear and carefully applying a dose of Carbaryl late in the evening when they are all home and sleeping.
All of these pests cause problems not only for us and our gardens, but for native plants, bush and birds. They need to be controlled.
Because of their rural settings, Pukeiti and Hollard Gardens have Taranaki Regional Council Pest Management Plans.
Taranaki Regional Council Animal Pest Manager Steve Ellis, who led the workshop, says introduced species have a devastating effect on native species including birds, weta and lizards. This doesn't happen only in rural areas, and urban gardeners can do their bit with easy, cost-effective control programmes.
If you are experiencing pest problems in your home and garden, go to www.trc.govt.nz/Pest-animals/ for advice, or call 0800 736 222. Traps and other materials are also available from the Taranaki Regional Council at cost price.
The most obvious benefit of deciduous trees is their autumn colour, arborist Richard Lambert told this workshop.
But wait, there's more. According to Richard:
- Deciduous trees allow plenty of sunshine to penetrate their branches in winter, helping to warm your home and garden.
- The bare branches can provide interesting structural forms that fill your garden with a sculptural quality of light and shadow.
- The fallen leaves are a valuable addition to the compost bin.
- Many deciduous trees flower before the onset of leaves, which provides yet more sensory stimulation during their 12-month cycle.
- In spring, bulbs can grow beneath the trees before the new leaves begin to unfurl.
- In summer, their shade often provides a calmer, less obtrusive quality than evergreens.
But don't rush straight out to get one. Richard says the secret to a long and healthy life for your chosen tree is to think carefully before you buy.
Questions to ask yourself include how much room you have, how big you want the tree to grow, site and soil conditions, overhead or underground services, proximity to a building and of course the aesthetics - including habit (weeping, upright, spreading), bark characteristics, autumn colour, flowering and scent.
Selecting the right tree for the right site for the right reasons will save you money, time and effort in the long run.
Once you've decided on the tree you'd like, the next step is selecting a good specimen at the nursery or garden centre.
"Make sure it has the characteristics you are looking for," says Richard. "It should look healthy and strong and have one good dominant leader - a check that it isn't pot bound and that there is no bark or insect damage'.
Winter is the best time to be planting so that the new tree can put on some good root growth before the drier months of summer - picking a good specimen in the first place will go a long way towards this successful establishment.
Along with Tupare Garden Manager Mitch Graham, Richard led workshop participants around Tupare pointing out tree surgery that has been done in the past and work planned for the future.
They knew each tree's habit and faults (and whether they could be put down to 'character' or needed some work) and that thoughtfulness is the secret to any tree or shrub pruning. As Richard said: don't just jump in - pick a sunny dry day, stand back, look at the tree, take note of what is going on in there and think about its future form.
Enjoy pruning and take it slowly - bit by bit. -"you can't stick it back on again - if anyone discovers that glue, let me know."
Jobs in the winter garden (July 2010)
Although the garden is at rest in winter, its peacefulness is deceptive.
Winter is actually the busiest time, Senior Gardener Mitch told a winter jobs workshop at Tupare last weekend. As soon as we've finished raking up the autumn leaf drop and transferred it to our compost, it is time to divide, prune, rejuvenate and add new plantings to the garden.
This time of year is perfect for these jobs, Mitch says, because the plants are dormant. If we tried it in spring or summer, the shock would distract the plants from energy giving growth and leave them in a weakened state. Then the sun could easily kill them.
So now's the time for action. For example, the mass of hydrangeas at Tupare get a good three weeks attention from the three-strong gardening team at this time of year. We recently obtained some new specimens and, before planting, they needed to be divided and pruned.
At the beginning of the workshop Mitch showed us one of these new plantings - five new hortensia hydrangeas at the top of the garden which had originally come to us as one plant.
This division is a method of vegetative plant propagation - it is a common means of multiplying plants and increasing profits in the retail and commercial landscape plant industry. Of course there's no reason why you can't use it to save money too - at the garden centre just look for plants that can potentially be divided into a few. Or, even better, if the herbaceous perennials such as campanula, delphiniums, hemerocallis, liriope and so on in your garden are starting to look a bit tired and clumpy, divide your own.
In a traditional herbaceous border, this is typically done on a five to seven-year to maintain vigor. Dig out the clump and use a suitable tool (hands, fork, spade, saw) to separate it into pieces with adequate roots and shoots for re-establishment.
At the same time as replanting, work the soil over and mix some compost in to improve the soil if necessary. Water them in well. Always keep the new vigorous parts of the clump, usually on the outer edge, and discard the oldest parts (usually in the centre).
Back to the hydrangeas ... after dividing them we pruned and cleaned them up. We use two pruning methods on hydrangeas at Tupare. If we leave the strong shoots with terminal buds, we will have a good early show of large flowers and a taller plant the following season. This is what we did last year (though of course we also cut out dead and crossing material and cleaned them up to allow light in). This year, we are looking for a tighter form and later flowering - we do this by cutting back harder to a pair of fat buds wherever possible.
Finally, if you purchase a pink or red coloured hydrangea, plant it in an area away from acid-loving plants - this is because you may need to lime it occasionally to retain the red tones. During the season we like to allow the flowers to age (we don't begin to deadhead or prune them until July) so the sepals dry into dusky tones - a nice contrast to the fresh winter bulbs popping up around them.
Foundations of a landscaped garden (September 2009)
What makes a great garden? That was the question posed by Tupare's Senior Gardener, Mitch Graham, at this workshop.
Some 50 people came to learn some of the practical considerations and artistic tricks of the trade. Whether you are establishing a new garden or redeveloping an old one, there are some simple recommendations to follow.
First, understand your land - its aspect, soil, topography, climate and views. In Taranaki we are lucky to have a benign climate, just the right amount of rain and great soils, particularly for the acid-loving plants such as those from the Ericaceae family.
Take a walk through your potential garden area and imagine the journey you wish your senses to take as it unfolds in front of you. Remember to notice the relationship between your house and garden, and use appropriate symmetry and scale. With this in mind, create a unified theme with the plants you like.
Rather than having a mish-mash of lots of random plants, Mitch recommends tying it all together with repeated "rhythms" of your one or two favourite plants to create consistency with "platforms". You can then add some architectural plants for impact. Balance can be achieved through this simplicity - both in your plant choices and your layout. Pay attention to plant textures and shapes as well as the colour arrangement. There are lots of books in the library, or the BBC has a good gardening website (click here) with garden plans, styles, advice, plant finder and lots of useful links.
Do you have an inescapable view of your neighbours' shed? An interesting trick is to "create a destination". This provides an opportunity to direct attention away from a distraction. Arts and Crafts-style gardens like Tupare have areas, or 'outdoor rooms', in which the visitor can really experience some peace or seek shelter and some privacy. This destination space in your garden could be a view, a pond, a piece of art, a mirror or a seat.
Saying all that, it is subjective. And in answer to his original question, Mitch says a great garden is one that brings the gardener pleasure.
If you want to take better photos, where better to learn than one of Taranaki's most picturesque heritage properties?
This two-hour workshop, hosted by the New Plymouth Photography Club and the Stratford Camera Club, was held as nature put on a spectacular autumn display in the landscaped grounds of Tupare.
Tupare has long been a favourite subject for photographers, professional and amateur alike.
It has a lot to offer in any season. As autumn deepens, for example, we've got stunning contrasts as the rich vibrancy of the deciduous trees gives way to skeletal forms as the leaves fall, with amazing light and shadow. These all lend themselves to great photography.
