The
month of August begins Late Winter in New Zealand and for the
gardens of the Southern Hemisphere. On the finest days it is
easy to feel that spring warmth in the air. Changeable August
can bring a few of our coldest days, storms, heavy rain and
hail, winds or the first real spring weather. “Be prepared”
is the wise gardeners’ motto for August... read
more
Book your visit
now - Morning/Afternoon Tea available for groups - call 09 276
4827 for bookings - No matter the weather we have it covered -
large displays fill the many shelters and conservatory. So gather
up your members and book a visit today... read
more
Midwinter
is when we expect the weather to be cold, cloudy, and about to
reach its greatest depths. So the passage of the shortest day of
the year, the Winter Solstice, and thereafter is indeed a time of
celebration. As we mark the passage of winters darkest gloom we
know that for the next six months, days get longer and brighter;
bringing the spring growing season and bountiful glory of
summer... read
more
Autumn is the time to think ahead and
begin planting spring bulbs for the spring garden as well as for
winter colour. If planted now spring bulbs will establish roots
before winter arrives giving them the longest period to grow and
mature. This insures better plant health, quality, and quantity
of bloom... read
more
As the season fades into the
the final days of autumn, this is when the cyclamen comes into
it's true glory. The cyclamen is a tuberous, stemless
perennial herb of the primula family. There are about 20
species... read
more
This boldly colourful Brazilian
shrub has earned the name Princess Flower and Glory Bush. The
most commonly grown of the 200 species Tibouchina macrantha, is
known as the Lasiandra... read
more
Read about
Dale Harvey, the school children and teachers of the Sutton Park School project in the November
2003 issue of North & South magazine... read
more
The
Japan-US Friendship Commission is an Independent federal agency that
provides support for training and information to help prepare Americans
to better meet the challenges and opportunities in the US-Japan
relationship... read
more
Gladioli Time - Gladioli
are the birth flower of August and have been a highly treasured
flower for many centuries. They are members of the Iris Family,
being classed as perennials grown from corms. In various
cultures gladioli have also been called Corn Flag, Corn Iris,
and Sword Lily. Legends about the gladioli trace back as far as
ancient Greece, when the flower was known as Xiphium, from
‘xiphos’ meaning sword Even today’s’ name, Gladioli,
derives from the old Latin word "gladius" which was
the Roman word for the sword used by a gladiator... read
more
Christmas at the "Quarter
Acre" paradise gardens. Read the article in 2002 New Zealand's House &
Garden. Thousands of fairy lights through out the gardens, many large Christmas trees
& festive displays and lots more to see... read
more
"Everyone talks about
the weather but nobody does anything about it" is an old
saying that really applies to this time of the year. With
storms, squally rain, hail and thunder a frequent occurrence the
challenge of maintaining an attractive garden does seem to be a
little overwhelming and unrealistic.
Truly, even the best efforts of a master
gardener aren’t going to turn winter into spring. But there
are things you can do to protect your garden and help it along
so that when the weather does break, there will still be a lot
of strong healthy plants well established for a glorious spring
display...read
more
Today's wide range of showy
Leucadendrons are the modern ancestors of a prehistoric plant
species that crossed the line from foliage to flowering plant...
read
more
Cymbidium orchids are one of
the most improved of all orchid species. Extensive hybridisation
over the past 50 years has transformed the 50 wild species
into many thousands of named hybrids...read more
Here is a little bit of
information to get you started on "edible
flower/plant". Many, if not most flowers are eaten by
something. In centuries past many wildflowers and the leaves and
flowers/buds of a wide variety of plants were consumed mostly as
tea or herbal/medicinal remedies and potions...
read
more
visiting
bus groups
Click on the name of the group
to see more pictures of their visit...
Work
in progress is coming from the vision, sweat labor &
commitment of Pine Ridge Farms, Pioneer Floral, John Newton
Design and Dale Harvey, an International gardening expert...read
more
Meet
the owners of the "Quarter Acre" paradise. Learn about who
they are and what
makes them passionate about greening their patch of paradise...
read
more
A recent fund
raising concert event held at the
"Quarter Acre"
paradise gardens to raise
funds to help send the very talented and popular Orlando Singers Chamber
Choir over seas to represent New Zealand in Hobart Tasmania in 2007... read
more
Browse
through some of the many published articles about
Dale Harvey, International Environmental Consultant,
Author, Photographer, Radio and TV personality and John Newton
plus the
"Quarter Acre" paradise gardens... read
more
The warmer months from spring
through late summer and even into autumn in mild climates are
the best times to plant Marigolds. The Golden Glory Marigold is botanically known as
Tagetes ( tay-gee'teez).Tages was an ancient Etruscan God. Some
legends say that "marigold" was named in honor of the
"golden Virgin Mary", but in actual fact it means
"sea of gold" in Latin. A well grown planting of
marigold certainly would live up to that description. Marigolds
start to shine their brightest as the golden days of summer start
to wane into autumns' first light... read
more
One of the true joys of
gardening on a miserable winter day is to enjoy the fragrance
and beauty of a pot of hyacinths you forced yourself. The
easiest spring bulbs to force include: hyacinth, jonquil,
daffodil, crocus, grape hyacinth, freesia and many varieties of
tulip. Choose the largest size bulbs available. Place the bulbs
in a pot so they almost touch. Plant with their tips just... read
more
Zygocactus,
commonly called Brazilian Beauty or Crab Cactus, is a
tree-perching, spineless cactus. The only species z. truncatus,
is a true epiphytic plant native to Brazil. It is sometimes
botanically classified as Phyllocactus or Schlumbergeria,
but differs from them in having soft 'teeth'... read
more
Read
about this wonderful urban working homestead, designed to be
an inspiration to all new and old backyardNew
Zealand gardeners & to help encourage the greening of our
country into a garden paradise.... read
more
Autumn can be a glorious time
of the year for colour in the garden. Shrubs like Cassia,
Lasiandra, Osmanthus, Loquat, early Azalea and Camellias, late
Roses, Abutilon, Vireya, Polygala, Lantana, Plumbago and much
more are in full flower now. Along with herbaceous plants like
Geraniums/Pelargonium and shrubs like the Margerite Daisy,
Lavender, and Euryops... read
more
The Cape Primrose,
streptocarpus, are becoming very popular pot plants for indoors,
warm glasshouse or frost free shade house. In warm, humid,
bright spots out of strong sun they flower from late winter
though to autumn... read
more
In
Victorian times flowers were used to send secret messages of Romance and
Tertiary,
also included is flowers for your Birth
Sign and
Wedding Symbols... read
more
Special guests
and key community
leaders plus local tourism operators enjoying the launch held at Dale Harvey's
"Quarter Acre" paradise gardens.
See the talented Te Kura Maori o Nga Tapuwae Senior Student Performers...read
more
Wisteria Venusta syn w. globosa
alba (Silky Wistaria). One of the most beautiful and desirable
of all hardy, woody vines is the Wisteria. Native to America and
Asia, these tall growing vines of the pea family have compound,
feathery, deciduous leaves that turn golden yellow in autumn.
The pea-like flowers drape in long, showy chains from bare canes
in early spring... read
more
FREEregistration
and membership
to our new mailing list and community area at www.daleharvey.com
website. Keep up-to-date with what's happening at the
"Quarter Acre" paradise, open garden days, public celestial evening,
garden parties & charity events, post your garden pictures, ask
questions and lots more... read
more
