When rain and cold weather stops for a day, I go out into the garden. 

Just looking – Julie often has new inhabitants in the garden and some of those are surprising.  



Grevillia is a species that hails from Australia. Some older TV Gardening Show watchers may remember Don Burk doing his hour-long shows every week – he loved Grevillia and so do I. In mid-winter, birds and pollinating winter insects will look for these flowers, filled with nectar. 



White Magnolia are coming out right now. No pollinating going on, just plenty of off-white colours that lighten up your boring garden background.  



Miscanthus chinensis, still waving in the wind. A froglet sitting quietly. 



Gaura Butterfly Rose with an emerging kiwi.  



“Just a Daffodil”, according to Julie – bright colours in winter. 



These are Hamamelis (also known as Witch Hazels). Many of these wonderful plants have an excellent smell – our yellow variety (H x Arnold Promis) is probably the exception, not much smell at all, but the bright colour stands out in a bare winter’s day.  

The red Witch Hazel is known as Hamamelis x intermedia Jelena. The colours sometimes float in a copper direction, with a smell that’s just divine.  

“Hamamelis” comes from two Greek words: hama (meaning “simultaneously”) and melon (“fruit”): it refers to that in autumn flowering varieties the flowers as well as the fruits that occur on the plant at the same time.  

I love those Hamamelis shrubs – and while researching a bit about our specimens I came across a spectacular hybrid: Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diana’. Bright red flowers in winter but also preceded by bright red leaves before they fall in autumn.  

Guess what: I’m searching for that specimen mentioned above! 

LISTEN ABOVE 

When rain and cold weather stops for a day, I go out into the garden.&nbsp;
Just looking – Julie often has new inhabitants in the garden and some of those are surprising. &nbsp;

Grevillia is a species that hails from Australia. Some older TV Gardening Show watchers may remember Don Burk doing his hour-long shows every week – he loved Grevillia and so do I. In mid-winter, birds and pollinating winter insects will look for these flowers, filled with nectar.&nbsp;

White Magnolia are coming out right now. No pollinating going on, just plenty of off-white colours that lighten up your boring garden background. &nbsp;

Miscanthus chinensis, still waving in the wind. A froglet sitting quietly.&nbsp;

Gaura Butterfly Rose with an emerging kiwi. &nbsp;

“Just a Daffodil”, according to Julie – bright colours in winter.&nbsp;

These are Hamamelis (also known as Witch Hazels). Many of these wonderful plants have an excellent smell – our yellow variety (H x Arnold Promis) is probably the exception, not much smell at all, but the bright colour stands out in a bare winter’s day. &nbsp;
The red Witch Hazel is known as Hamamelis x intermedia Jelena. The colours sometimes float in a copper direction, with a smell that’s just divine. &nbsp;
“Hamamelis” comes from two Greek words: hama (meaning “simultaneously”) and melon (“fruit”): it refers to that in autumn flowering varieties the flowers as well as the fruits that occur on the plant at the same time. &nbsp;
I love those Hamamelis shrubs – and while researching a bit about our specimens I came across a spectacular hybrid: Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diana’. Bright red flowers in winter but also preceded by bright red leaves before they fall in autumn. &nbsp;
Guess what: I’m searching for that specimen mentioned above!&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Jack Tame’s crisp perspective, style and enthusiasm makes for refreshing and entertaining Saturday morning radio on Newstalk ZB.

News, sport, books, music, gardens and celebrities – what better way to spend your Saturdays?

Jack Tame’s crisp perspective, style and enthusiasm makes for refreshing and entertaining Saturday morning radio on Newstalk ZB. News, sport, books, music, gardens and celebrities – what better way to spend your Saturdays?

Jack Tame’s crisp perspective, style and enthusiasm makes for refreshing and entertaining Saturday morning radio on Newstalk ZB.News, sport, books, music, gardens and celebrities – what better way to spend your Saturdays?

Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Ruud Kleinpaste: Looking for unexpected winter beauty

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f66f4ca7-f608-49df-a1a4-b33b00032f6e/transcript