TV garden man visits

Ruapehu Bulletin, 19 September 1995, Page 12

TV garden man visits

Ruud Kleinpaste of Palmers Garden Show spoke to gardeners of the region Monday last week. The invitation from the Turangi Garden Club to attend the talk was presented to the Ohakune Garden Club at their August meetingheld atthehomeofNita and Bruce Wilde. Also among correspondence was an invitation to the Gardens Unlimited tour programme of Helen Dillon from Ireland. Interested people can contact Peggy Frew if they would like to go to the Palmerston North meeting on 7 October. Members werereminded of the spring bulb show in Raetihi later in September. The next meeting would include a demonstration on planting hanging baskets, members were told. At the conclusion of business Tim Mitchell, from the Department of Conservation, spoke about noxious plants which are garden escapees. He said some of these plants are still being sold from garden centres and their spread into national parks is causing the destruction of many native species. Eradication methods are unsatisfactory in that they also cause the destruction of natives. Common escapee weeds in the

Tongariro National Park include cotoneaster, buddleia, Japanese honeysuckle, privet, heather, Chilean fireweed, pinus contorta, broom, and rhododendron. The seeds are spread by birds, wind or water. DoC has manuals avail-

able to the public which list the offending species and how to eradicate them. Competition results: winter rose 1 &2 Fran Frew 3rd Sue Deadman; flower of choice lFran Frew 2 Edith Beavis 3 Lorraine Taylor; shrub of choice 1 Edith Beavis 2 & 3 Fran Frew; pot plant Tricia Mountfort 2 Lorraine Taylor 3 Sue Deadman.