Easy peasy camellias
Easy peasy camellias
Camellias are promising a great spring show, says Gillian Vine.
Gillian Vine
Autumn: when every leaf is a flower
Autumn: when every leaf is a flower
When pears and apples start falling, it's not just a signal to bring out the bottles and preserving pan, but an indication the trees are shutting down for the winter. The other sign is, of...
Showstopper in Winter Garden
Showstopper in Winter Garden
There are about 850 species of Ficus; most are from subtropical and tropical regions.
Your garden: Thinking ahead to spring
Your garden: Thinking ahead to spring
• Vegetables Think ahead to spring and start improving heavy, clay-based soil by digging roughly, so different levels are exposed to winter frosts, winds, rain and sun. Raw manure can be...
Short takes
Short takes
Even those who are not dog lovers will be drawn to Chet, the canine that narrates Spencer Quinn's "Dog On It" mysteries. In To Fetch a Thief, Chet and his private-eye human, Bernie, are hired to find a missing elephant and its trainer.
Taking a broad view
Taking a broad view
Now that daylight saving has ended, we seem to be galloping towards winter, so now is time to sow broad beans to harvest next summer. The hardiest of the bean family, the broad bean (Vicia faba)...
Fun venture takes off
Fun venture takes off
A Mosgiel couple who began breeding roses for fun are soon to have their second commercial release, reports Gillian Vine.
Pleasantly surprised
Pleasantly surprised
What a pleasure it is when a writer who has gone off his or her game returns to form.
Celebrating 30 or so years
Celebrating 30 or so years
When members of the Outram Garden Club discussed celebrating the club's 30th anniversary, it was generally agreed it had been founded in 1981, so plans began to be made to mark it this year.
Brilliant sixth in Gamache series stand alone read
Brilliant sixth in Gamache series stand alone read
One of the strengths of Louise Penny's Bury your Dead is that it is not necessary to have read any of her earlier novels featuring Chief Inspector Armande Gamache to appreciate this one.
Do groundwork now for fabulous spring show
Do groundwork now for fabulous spring show
Spring may seem a long way off but planning - and buying - new plants and bulbs now guarantees the best show. Gillian Vine suggests some bulbs and perennials for southern gardens.
Dirty old town - and country
Dirty old town - and country
In recent months, readers from around Otago have written letters to the editor complaining about roadside rubbish.
Good time to get growing
Good time to get growing
My husband accuses me of being paranoid about rising food prices, but I've got the United Nations on my side.
Heritage apple varieties propagated
Heritage apple varieties propagated
The 2009-10 season was a bad one for apples, with gale-force winds and cold conditions resulting in few bees on the wing.
From barren patch to Barron's patch
From barren patch to Barron's patch
The Outram Flower Show is a popular annual event, with flowers, vegetables, children's artworks and an impressive sales table. Gillian Vine meets one of the workers who help make the show so successful.
Long voyage to a Mediterranean island
Long voyage to a Mediterranean island
The upper part of the Dunedin Botanic Garden has a lovely microclimate and great views up the Leith Valley, so - apart from the steep slope - it was the ideal spot for the Otago Acclimatisation...
REVIEW SPECIAL: Novels
REVIEW SPECIAL: Novels
Gillian Vine reviews the latest round of novels.
Naturally prizewinning
Naturally prizewinning
"We don't really consider ourselves gardeners," Joy Pringle told judges of the Let's Grow Native competition. "Could have fooled me," muttered judge Jim Mora. More...
Good things in small parcels
Good things in small parcels
The Taipei International Flora Expo has a raft of interesting displays, among them a stunning line-up of bonsai, as Gillian Vine reports.
The twelve garden gifts of Christmas
The twelve garden gifts of Christmas
Many garden gifts have lasting benefits, as Gillian Vine finds.