Jo’s art workshop was again booked up well in advance, such is the anticipation for her visit. After a short introduction by Chris, Jo got straight into the teaching – birds were the theme of this workshop and a combination of Jo’s detailed bird anatomy handouts, drawing demonstrations, projected images and Lloyds bird specimens gave people the confidence to do the speed drawing and detailed work that made up the first day of the workshop. The weather played its part being cold and rainy for the first day meant inside work was best! The second day involved much more outside work building on the knowledge learned in the Education Centre on day one. There were plenty of birds about but they often didn’t stay still long enough! – however, Donna the duck and the chickens were reliable subjects, a mother duck brought her ducklings along to the pond, while other people managed to draw kereru and tui on the kowhai flowers. Back at the Education Centre there were intense studies done of beaks and feet, nests and feathers. At the end everyone showed some of their work and talked about what they had learned and found most useful. Jo is an amazing teacher, giving everyone one to one tuition and encouragement. It is an absolute pleasure to host her and see the difference she makes, not to mention seeing her wonderful artwork, and we look forward to her next workshop.
Chris
Posted: 14 October 2019
A keen group braved the Southland spring weather to visit the Nursery and Education Centre on the evening of 10th October 2019. Chris met them at the bus park and walked and talked through the orchard, deciduous tree garden, daffodil patch, past the fruit cages, vegetable gardens and Nursery. We walked around the pond on the new track explaining the history of the QEII protected area, the significance of the kahikatea forest remnant, and talked about pond and restoration planting. Although the tracks were above the waterline, the restoration plantings were sitting in water after a very wet spring period. All plants are locally grown and planting the right plant in the right place is the key to success. A brief spell walking through the Nursery where plants are grown for a variety of community projects and individuals was followed by a warmer stay in the Education Centre where Chris explained the history of the building and its use – primarily for schools but also accommodating a wide range of workshops. Members explored the various murals, posters, photographs and resources used for educational purposes. It was great to be able to show a new group what we do at the Nursery and Education Centre.
Chris
Posted: 14 October 2019
A very enthusiastic bunch of grafters came to the Nursery on Saturday 5th October 2019. Robert Guyton gave a talk about apple grafting – the history, why we do it and not grow from seed, the Open Orchard project and much much more. Then it was hands-on with Robert and Dave Simpson demonstrating the grafting technique.
Each person then chose from a list http://www.sces.org.nz/store/doc/Scionwood-list-2015.pdf, the apple scions (the cutting from the tree they want to create (eg “Peasgood nonesuch”) – taken around July) and the rootstock (which has the growing characteristics required) and used sharp knives to cut and shape the two parts to join into one tree binding the scion to the rootstock with grafting tape. It didn’t take long for everyone to get into the swing of it and lots of new apple trees were made and taken away.
On the South Coast Environment Centre website there is good information about how to graft as well as pruning, caring for and choosing fruit trees. It was a great skill to learn http://www.sces.org.nz/education/fruit-tree-selection-and-care
Thanks Robert and Dave
Chris
Posted: 7 October 2019
It was great to have Stand return to the visit the nursery – to give the opportunities to get out and about in nature. Today it was pond fun, firstly looking up close at some of the creatures that inhabit the wetland at the nursery. Water boatmen, damselfly larvae and a koura (freshwater crayfish) were the highlights in the nets this time around. the koura’s hairy front nippers, its tail, antennae and eyes were all looked at closely, and we talked about what a koura might eat! A walk around the pond picking up nature was followed by some very creative boat building – and the challenge of seeing if they would float for 30 seconds! A look for skinks, birds and insects, kai for lunch, puppet and song fun finished off the visit.
Bronwyn
Posted: 7 October 2019
On Saturday 28 September the Southland Herb Society had a workshop at the nursery to make hypertufa pots or commonly referred to as just tufa pots.
The term “hypertufa” refers to a type of artificial stone, and is a combination of the words “tufa,” a natural volcanic rock, and “hyper,” meaning extremely; hypertufa are extremely rock-like containers that make excellent garden pots.
The nursery was the perfect venue for this messy hands-on activity. Twelve members turned up to make their creations from a mixture of peat, sand and cement. A close analogy would be to liken it to making mud pies as members mixed their ingredients to a biscuit like crumb. This crumb was then molded into a variety of different shaped containers.
As well as enjoying lunch, and learning about their ‘herb of the day’ sorrel, the group took a walk around the pond.
It was a great day, with the weather remaining fine until the last car was pulling out of the driveway!
Maggie
Posted: 30 September 2019
