Karin's Garden

This evergreen shrub has a spidery growth habit and grows to about 0.8M. Fragrant, bright yellow flowers cover this plant for a long period over winter.

To the best of my knowledge these four plants are the only specimens of Coronilla valentina in New Zealand. I had to buy seed from Portugal and pass the phytosanitary requirements of MPI to bring them into New Zealand. However, it is a glorious plant and definitely one that I shall be trying to share around.
Click here to view the Coronilla valentina page in Karin’s Garden.

This is an evergreen tree that typically grows to about 12m in Karin’s Garden. Trusses of pink bells cover this substantial tree in early spring.

There are many of these beautiful plants around in Karin’s Garden and they are flowering early this year. This one is beside the road as you drive from Riwaka into Motueka. Whenever I see a large tree covered in flower in this way, it always seems somehow “wrong” in a very, very good way.

Click here to view the Rhododendron arboreum page in Karin’s Garden.

This is a small herbaceous perennial growing from a bulb, flowering over a long period from later winter into spring. Six-pointed star shaped white flowers with a blue blush and blue centre line rise above shiny grass-like leaves.

This little gem provides a welcome point of interest at a time of year when there may be little other colour in the garden.
Click here to view the Ipheion uniflorum page in Karin’s Garden.

This is a fast growing, spreading shrub that grows up to 1½M tall. Masses of scented yellow daisy-like flowers cover this evergreen bush.

Collectors of South African plants have raved about this attractive plant. It provides a welcome blast of bright yellow in winter.

Click here to view the Euryops virgineus page in Karin’s Garden.

This is small plant, growing to only some 15cm, which forms drifts over time. Richly coloured fragrant flowers of purple or blue petals with yellow and white markings rise above stiffly erect leaves.

I. reticulata flower early in Karin’s Garden, often before the Snowdrops, making them more winter flowering than spring flowering. These little gems appear so suddenly that they always take you by surprise.

Click here to view the Iris reticulata page in Karin’s Garden.

This is a well-behaved, upright, evergreen, shrub growing to 3M tall. Miniature, single, pastel pink blooms adorn the glossy green foliage in spring .

This has quickly become a popular plant, since it was bred in New Zealand in 1995. The upright habit and modest ultimate height make is particularly suitable for smaller gardens. It is one of the modern range of Camellias that hold their flowers for longer and do not suffer from Camellia petal wilt.

Click here to view the C x “Festival Of Lights” page in Karin’s Garden.

 

This is a clump-forming bulb that thrives in well-drained woodland situations. Nodding white flowers with delicate green markings, over strap-like leaves, in mid-winter.

Snowdrops are ubiquitous in Northern European gardens, but less so in New Zealand. Their origins are from similar latitudes to New Zealand’s South Island, so the climate is unlikely to be a problem; and they are available. Maybe, if you do not grow up with them you just don’t think to look out for them. Certainly they are a wonderful reminder that the year has turned and days will soon be lengthening.

The particular one pictured here is in a friend’s garden, and it has beautiful “transient” markings, to use the galanthophile terminology, on the outer petals. However all Snowdrops are a delight. If you have the choice, maybe go for the slightly larger and more robust Galanthus elwesii.

Click here to view the Galanthus x “Kildare” page in Karin’s Garden.

This is a compact, prostrate, evergreen shrub that grows to a  maximum of 0.4M tall and up to 2M wide. The dark green foliage has a silvery sheen from the covering of fine hairs. Clusters of pinkish-red and cream flowers appear in winter and spring above dense, prostrate foliage .

This is hard-working ground cover year round, and welcome colour in winter and spring. Its nectar is welcomed by bees foraging on sunny winter days.

Click here to view the Grevillea lanigera “Mt Tamboritha” page in Karin’s Garden.

This is a spreading, slow-growing, evergreen shrub growing to about 1M tall. Fabulously scented, waxy, white flowers from white buds, cover this bush in early spring.

Daphnes do well in Karin’s garden and even a single sprig as a cut flower will fill a room with scent. They are not long lived and are not easy to propagate, but other strongly scented flowers at this time of year are really quite hard to find. Make sure to plant your next one before the current one senesces.

Click here to view the Daphne odora “Leucanthe Alba” page in Karin’s Garden.

This is a dense, evergreen, upright, large shrub with a semi-weeping habit, with arching and cascading branches, growing to 4M tall. Large white single to semi-double flowers with ruffled petals and a mass of golden stamens.

This is quite possibly the most popular Camellia in New Zealand. The flowers are said by some to be fragrant, though I struggle to get the scent from any Camellia. Being one of the earliest Camellias this is really the start of a Camelia Season in Karin’s Garden that will run through until October.

Click here to view the Camellia sasanqua “Setsugekka” page in Karin’s Garden.