Some work at the entrance of the station

Yesterday John, Jacky and I brought a couple of trailerloads with chips to the small enclosure with rhododendrons and a few (big) trees (which?) at the side of the entrance to the station; and John and I finished the job today.
Wilma cleaned up that area a few months ago. And she watered the rhododendrons a couple of times.
Now we dumped a good load of chips, and we planted a Rhododendron ‘Crest’ (that has been in the homestead garden since 19…, and was taken out by Diane and Steven with the digger). We put it on the trailer and brought it down.

We dug a big hole and brought a trailer with soil to put it right in it’s place. Finally we dropped a last load of chips around it. Now we can only hope that it survives. The weather was quite good for this operation. Yesterday it rained a bit. It rained during the night, and Monday it rained a lot!
We planted a lot of Agapanthus cuttings in the area as well.

On the other side of the road we planted a Magnolia, and put a protection around it.

Remarks:
– One of the big trees is growing quite close to the power line.
– Anne Holden will put some additional nutrients around the rhodos.
– The trees need some pruning next year.

Easter Monday

I did some work in the Azalea Area again this morning.
The last 4 wheelbarrows. If I counted it right there are 54 rhodo’s in the area.

Did 4 more wheelbarrows on older / bigger shrubs.

I went looking for 2 specimen of Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut). They are in the catalogue, but I couldn’t find them. Ask Uncle Bob about them!

10 more wheelbarrows

Today again 10 wheelbarrows in Azalea Area.
Total is now 50. Only a few more to go!

Kabouter in the Azalea Area at Good Friday

Today I brought again 10 wheelbarrows of chips to the rhodos.
Did some raking. Made some pictures.

Diane and Paula (Terry’s wife) have been planting Daffodils in the Azalea area.
I don’t know what Daffodils. I found a package thing. But it doesn’t say much.

Rhododendron 'Mount Loma Prieta'

Rhodo Mount Loma Prieta. CHG 2008
online catalogue (CHG = Cross Hill Gardens) says:
(Unknown Parentage) Soft pink flowers with a warm apricot yellow centre, giving the overall impression of apricot. Bronze new foliage. (here a picture of flower).
But Rhododirect NZ says: orange / apricot – (concatenans x Full House)

It looks like a typical nz hybrid. see: some list of pfpnet (pfpnet.com is plant software “for professionals” / Hamilton NZ):
Rhododendron Mt Loma Prieta – Wide florets of reddish orange on a very large truss. Superb colouring. 2m

Can’t google other sources.

Next 2 pictures of Azalea ‘Soft Lights’ from Allenton Nurseries (paper label)

Azalea 'Soft Lights'

Azalea 'Soft Lights'

Can’t download the catalogue of Allenton Nurseries (Ashburton). Check this with Diane.
Bad protection, by the way!

Next tree pictures: Rhododendron no label!

Rhodo no label

Rhodo no label

Rhodo no label

Planted 2008 – no label
Ask Diane about this!
It makes some nice sprouts!

I would like to check all the rhodos/azaleas in the Azalea Area and try to compile a complete list (some of the older rhodos are not (properly) labeled as well)!
Made a first list of species in the area from catalogue last year.
I’ll try to find that list.

A picture with a nice view over the lake with autumn colours

The Homestead and Isobel's Cottage

Did I tell that there have been some little bulls in the area? They did a lot of damage (especially to the older (unprotected) rhodos!

- o – o – o -
>More photos tomorrow!<
Then some other trees nearby:
(017 / 022)
1966 059 Quercus mongolica x robur in A9
cat says: seed brought from EWH
Beautiful tree. Gives acorns
Tell John to take old oakwood!

(025 / 036)
1993 103 Picea wilsonii
Tree is growing really well!
Tried a picture in backlight.

More mulching of Rhodos

again 15 wheelbarrows in het Azalea Area. One wheelbarrow for each rhodo.

mulching the azaleas

2 hrs of wheelbarrowing of chips into Azalea area. Did 15 wheelbarrowloads (<half of total lot).
did 1 wheelbarrow per rhodo in western corner. Definitely needs more! And repeat this each year?

First day with 75mm chipper

Picked the chipper up at Hire Pool (NZ$120 a day incl. gst) at 08:00am.
Started chipping 10:00am.
John and I did two hours at heap at the end of the lake in B4 upper right corner.
Important not to chip much >50mm! thicker wood only in pieces of max. half mtr. For this chipper it’s much better to use a limit of 50 mm. so 2 inch.
Diane popped in.
We brought some 4 or 5 trailer loads to (temporary) dump next of shearers quarters. [[ Look for a better dumping place in future! Dump like EWH?]].
After lunch we worked at heap with lots of willow-shoots in B8.
Works quite well! Jacky and 3 boys helped. Selection! Prepare heaps with sorted shoots!
Dumped chips near gate east of Azalea-track C9 upper left corner.
Next time: drop sorted wood near gate east!
This were 4 or 5 trailer loads as well.
Good quality. Apart from thin twigs that don’t get cut.

More panorama pictures

Today I finished some more panorama things.
The final result is this:

I personally liked this one too; it has a real “panorama feeling”.

And while making the panorama’s in Hugin (free software), at one point I got this strange result.

One detail really stroke my eye.

Working in the arboretum today I came into a wasp nest. But I discovered it a bit too late. Some wasps were already attacking me. Not a really pleasant experience!

Today’s working report

Started 9.00am (first make appointment with John &cie, and said goodbye to John&Paul) light mowing along the still unnamed track where I worked a few days ago.
Up to the open space / fence (Walnuts!)
This track is clear on both sides for some 10mtr. steeper parts on both sides not done. (Job still be to done for John&/ofJacky with the light weedeater – first the side of the Ridge, of course)
Cleared along the fence with the oak paddock a few mtrs. Steep! Also connected to Ridge ( → beginning of the Ridge) .
Did some rootsuckers of Populus again today.
Started some mowing along the fence through the open space. When I just wanted to go and have a break John & Jacky & boy Paua ofzo & 2 girls …. (let them write down their names next time / address as well for postcards – like WDC for WDC) popped in. With rakes!
So I stayed. Took one more cup of coffee. Directed John to the last rushes in this area and some 5 mtrs on “the other side of the fence” as well. We did a lot of raking over there. Made some heaps. Perhaps take away? Mind the sheep under one heap!
After 2 hrs. to the Ridge. Under the Nashi. I went to get a ladder (and have lunch). John&Jacky both mowing! When I came back at 3 or so, Diane popped in at exactly the same time. She heard those two mowers. Asked: who is mowing there? Couldn’t believe her eyes to see Jacky mowing. She needed John for a minute or two. I started picking Nashis with the kids.
(We had collected some kilograms of walnuts already. Do the chestnuts next time with the kids!)
John did a lot of heavy rushes mowing.
There are two (dead) trees taken out there. Don’t know the names.
I did some pruning (and removing of old parts of protection) on some trees around Nashi.
We work there again at Tuesday. I think. It’s good to give it a good clean, there. I’ll make some pictures then. Didn’t take pictures today. Stupid. It was really nice to be there with J&J&kids. Kids were most helpful as well (especially with the Nashis! Climbing tree, etc.). Oldest girl had asthma-problems last night.
Made some heaps of wood for chipping again. Small heaps only. Diane had seen the heap along the track. I think she wants it all on the burning heaps that are still everywhere. I want to get some of those burning spots eliminated! Gives real bad structure to the soil. Nothing grows half a year after burning!
So: take out as much rushes&c rubbish as possible. Chip all the wood <75mm. Take all thicker wood out for fire wood (sale). John is really into this kind of things. So we will start something like that in this next month. Hope that he continues through the winter, and continue chipping on more regular scale (every two months or so / depends a bit on the season).
We do need funds for that!
Friends of Hackfalls Arboretum – Dutch branch.
I’ll translate the Friends Leaflet in Dutch on: wv&db.wordpress

Pictures

Some pictures; the first ones out of order (they have to do with (last) saturday:
(some pictures still to come!)

Digitalis purpurea (to show John&cie; lousy picture; replace by a better one) – foxglove.
make a page of this: weeds we are fighting.

Digitalis purpurea - Foxglove

left: Juglans regia ssp. fallax (1994 077), right: Acer negundo ssp. mexicana (1982 002), in the middle: Diane on her bike, and in the background: the hill John cleaned of rushes last Saturday.

Juglans, Acer negundo ssp. mexicana and Diane

041: only the Acer negundo ssp. mexicana (1982 002). Nice picture, I thought; in the foreground some rushes that still have to be cut, but most of the hill is nice and clean!

Acer negundo ssp. mexicana

- – - – - – - – - – -

Now back to the entrance of the track:

002/003: Prunus (no label) in bad condition at entrance.
Uncle Bob reports: Prunus incisa (1971 019)

Prunus in rather bad condition

004: Prunus cerasifera ‘Lindsayae’ F2 (1971 019) in bad condition; what does it need? this is a seedling from EWH.

Prunus cerasifera in bad condition

006 t/m 010: Populus alba ssp. integerrima (1971 016) (cat says: not a ssp but a var!)
(There is one in B7 as well (with same number! but planted much later: rootsucker from the first one, I believe). Bob says: planted 5 or 6 years ago! 1990 – 2000
This alba is huge. I made pictures in “vertical panorama” (without tripod).

Populus alba var integerrima

Populus alba var integerrima

Bob says: check Poplar ‘Crows nest’! (Dutchman Kraayenoord or Kraaijenoord – from nursery …..

check rootsucker at EWH.
(This remark I don’t understand, myself)

013/014: Same with some dead tree in front. Maple ….

rootsuckers van Populus?

rootsuckers from Populus

rootsuckers from Populus

rootsuckers from Populus

024/025: Populus? no label Astria 1987 083

029 t/m 031: ook weer Populus? no label

032: Populus tremuloides (1977 017)

034: leaves of Populus tremuloides (1977 017)

leaves of Populus tremuloides (1977 017)

016 t/m 021: (old, unreadable label says: Malus hybrid) I suppose 1969 102: Malus domestica ?x? Bob agrees.
Nice tree, with little apples. Needs some pruning. Hangs over the track.

Malus domestica hybrid

Malus domestica hybrid

Malus domestica hybrid

Malus domestica hybrid