Dear Canterbury Horticultural Society Member,

As well as a new venue we have a large TV set for all our presentations providing superb quality images. We are hiring different PA systems to find the best one for us before we purchase something that suits. Come and join us for these great nights.

Last week signs went up for the Oderings School Garden Show to be held at the Woolston Club 10 – 12 March. Come along and visit all these schools and see the extraordinary gardens built by these children.

Shortly you will also see advertising for the Terra Viva Autumn Garden Show which again will be in the Botanic Gardens near the visitor centre. Last year we had up 1000’s of visitors and we would love more this year.

We have been working on venues for activities for the rest of this year and still need to make some arrangements for a few more meetings and activities.

This year will be one of learning to operate in a different way and in nicer venues. My aim is to further improve the quality of what we do, plan our programmes into the future and communicate to a wider audience to interest more people into the art, science and practice of gardening and horticulture.

On behalf of the Board I hope you will join us on this exciting journey.
Alan Jolliffe

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ALL ABOUT GARDENING MARCH

Monday 6th 7pm & Tuesday 7th 9.45am

Arrival Cuppa - self serve tea and coffee available for members from 30 minutes prior to the meeting.

Susan Sanders, Christchurch Botanic Gardens Collection Curator is our main speaker for March. She will be talking about fuchsias.

Michael Coulter follows with discussion on standardising chrysanthemums and planting for Spring colour.

Also in the programme: From Your Gardens and this month’s Tips and Tasks with Michael, Dave and Alan and Practical Sessions and workstations.

Interactive Session on planting techniques.
 

ALL ABOUT GARDENING APRIL

Monday 3rd 7pm & Tuesday 4th 9.45am

Arrival Cuppa - self serve tea and coffee available for members from 30 minutes prior to the meeting.

Dan Rutherford, a prominent landscape gardener will be the main speaker on “new planting techniques”.  The following interactive session will focus on planting techniques.

Also in the programme: From Your Gardens and this month’s Tips and Tasks with Michael, Dave and Alan.

Also in the programme: From Your Gardens and this month’s Tips and Tasks with Michael, Dave and Alan and Practical Sessions and workstations.

Interactive Session on planting techniques.

Free to CHS Members, $5 Non-members, includes tea, coffee and refreshments

SALE OF HORTICULTURAL HALL

Despite a last minute minor hiccup the sale of the Horticultural Hall is proceeding and the possession date of 31 March is expected to be confirmed. At this stage details of our new office location and the overall exit plan are work in progress. Hopefully we’ll be able to give you full details in the April issue.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Thursday 20 April, 7.30pm

The Annual General Meeting covering the period 1 July 2015 to 31 December 2016 will be held at on Thursday 20 April at 7.30pm. The venue has yet to be confirmed.

NEVER MISS OUT

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MONTHLY TIPS & TASKS

Michael Coulter

February has been a windy, dry and warm month which has kept me busy in the garden trying to keep up with all the work as well as the extra watering needed to keep the plants healthy.

All my stone fruit has been harvested and I am now looking forward to apples and pears. The flower garden has put on good show especially my pots of geraniums and perennial petunias, they just keep on flowering so I can recommend them for any garden.

March is a busy month in the garden as we are harvesting much of our fruit and vegetable crops and also preparing for the planting of bulbs, flowers and vegetables for the Winter and Spring. Many of the tasks that are needed to be done now will determine what the garden will produce later in the year.

Many pest and diseases  are seen on our plants now and may be the cause of disappointing results, try and identify these so next season the right treatments can be followed to give you good outcomes. If you need advice or identification of pest and diseases put samples in a plastic bag and bring it along to our All About Gardening meetings. Any plant, flower or fruit that you are proud of bring them along too as this adds to the interest of these meetings. Much of my time this month will be spent on my chrysanthemums preparing for the Autumn show at the end of April, as well as all the other tasks in and around my garden.

For any gardening queries or advice you can always visit our online facebook group 

See a list of all Michael's March garden tasks here

ODERINGS SCHOOL GARDENS SHOW

Time for our youngest gardeners to shine again

MEMBER OF THE MONTH

Kowhai Thompson

What aroused your interest in gardening or horticulture?
My parents were both keen gardeners with an interest in landscape design. They created a native garden on Clifton Hill with Ngaios/Lancewoods before it was very trendy to do this. My dad was a landscape architect and my mum worked in nurseries. Mum and dad took us tramping and I loved being in the bush amongst the native bush, ferns, and mosses. I felt happier after a walk in nature. I like to bring this uplifting influence from nature, trees, plants and flowers into people's lives through beautiful landscape designs. 

 Find out more about Kowhai here and  Read Kowhai’s first landscape design instalment here

ODERINGS - PLANT OF THE MONTH

Flower Power! Calibrachoas

I love the non-stop flower power which Calibrachoas have to offer. They start flowering from early Spring, and with a little haircut in early Summer they come away with even more flushes of flowers which will continue until frosts.

These callies are perennials, and as long as they don’t get too wet in Winter, they will come alive again each and every year. Added into hanging baskets, pots and containers or in garden borders there is a colour to suit any gardener who loves pops of impact colour. New varieties include the Strawberry Shortcake & Tsunami Firestorm.

Don't forget to come along and support the city's youngest gardeners at the Third Oderings School Gardens Show,  Friday 10, Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 March, 43 Hargood St, Woolston.

Available from Oderings stores on online at www.oderings.co.nz

BUY, SELL, EXCHANGE!

Car Boot Sale

Christchurch Bridge Club Car Park
21 Nova Place - off Barbadoes Street
Saturday 25 March 10am- 12pm (set-up from 9.30am)
Cancelled if wet - (check website/facebook if unsure) 

We look forward to seeing you later this month at our inaugural Car Boot Sale.  There are plenty of car spaces available, simply drive, park then open your boot and begin to bargain!

Don't worry if you have nothing to sell or exchange, just bring along some cash and take a stroll along the open boots. 

This event is open to CHS and Bridge Club members only.
 

Sites: Members $2  |  Commercial $10
(payment will be collected on the day)

Bookings:  Please confirm with the CHS Office by Wednesday 22 March

• Sellers to provide own float - cash sales only
• Plants must be good quality, pots etc. must be clean
• All unsold items must be removed at the conclusion of the event
• The Bridge Club Rooms will be open and available for toilet facilities only
• BYO tea and coffee

TERRA VIVA AUTUMN GARDEN SHOW

Vibrant flowers & plants from alpines to bonsai

Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 April 2017
10am – 5pm
jointly presented by Canterbury Horticultural Society and Christchurch City Council Botanic Gardens

Where: Ilex Room & Marquee, Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Last years event featured Edible Canterbury/Ōtākaro Orchard, Christchurch Beautifying Association, Friends of Botanic Gardens, Christchurch Bonsai Society, NZ Alpine Society, Canterbury Orchid Society, Riccarton Horticultural Society, Canterbury Horticultural Society (CHS) Fruit & Vegetable and Chrysanthemum Circles, CHS Combined Garden Clubs and the CHS itself. We are expecting another great turn out for 2017.

Free Entry

BLOOMING TASMANIA

10 Day Longer Break 19 - 29 September

Blooming Tasmania Flower & Garden Festival theme, “Tasmania is My Garden” aims to connect those across the State who have a passion for promoting Tasmania, its gardens, wilderness and in exploring new ways of visiting the past, enjoying the present and imagining the future. At the 2017 Blooming Tasmania Flower & Garden Festival you will meet friendly, passionate people who create different styles of gardens from heritage to wild native garden walks.

The CHS ten day tour to Tasmania takes place from the 19th – 29th September 2017. It will incorporate a day at the Festival in Launceston, as well as many beautiful garden visits in and around both Launceston and Hobart, these will be profiled in our forthcoming newsletters, along with the history and culture of this unique Australian state.

Read more or register for a tour brochure via email