Behind the scenes

🍂 Let the Leaves Fall Where They May… and Then Put Them to Work! It’s been a slow start to leaf-fall this year, hasn’t it? But with the recent cold snap, the trees have finally given in — and the leaves are tumbling down like confetti in the wind. If your garden is starting to…

Oh my goodness, I don’t think any of us need any tips on growing weeds this year! It has been, without a doubt, the worst 12 months for keeping on top of those unwanted plants that just seem to pop up everywhere. As our daughter Samantha wisely said, “Mum, you realise that if you leave…

We’re always testing combinations, tweaking layouts, and looking for that magic mix of beauty and resilience. One of the parts I enjoy most about running RhodoDirect is helping customers work through their planting plans. Many of you come in with sketches, photos, or even just a rough idea in your heads, and together we nut…

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity as I’ve been frantically selecting scion material for our rhododendron cuttings. February and March have kept me on my toes, with the unpredictable summer weather making things particularly tricky. Some cutting material hasn’t hardened off properly, while others have done so too early—meaning we’ve had…

Over the past couple of months, we’ve faced some challenges in freighting plants across the country, but I want to take you behind the scenes and share the exciting changes we’re making to improve the process. First, let me say how much I appreciate the incredible patience many of you have shown while we worked…

Oh, how plans love to change! Steve and I originally had this grand idea to plant popular oaks to helpbreak the wind and shield our shiny new propagation house from that relentless Canterburynor’wester and the harsh western sun. All was going well—earthworks done, smiles allaround—until our lovely contractor piped up: “Knowing you, you’ll want a…

What a Year It’s Been! Wow, what a year! After hitting the road for a New Zealand-wide rhodo road trip, it quickly showed important it is to start doing more of our own propagating. So, we sharpened our secateurs and got to work, beginning to collect material in February. Selecting cuttings was the quick part;…

Each year, I’ve had grand plans to add some Christmas decorations to the nursery, and this year, I’m finally on to it! The Thuja trees, which protect our plants from the afternoon sun in the shade house, make the perfect Christmas trees. With a little inspiration from Pinterest, I’ve turned some wooden pallets into fun…

Over the past month, we’ve had the pleasure of working with Anne Gane, a talented florist you can see at the upcoming Rakaia Fete. Anne has been helping us bring our beautiful rhododendrons into unique table settings. While rhododendrons aren’t often used in floral design, their vibrant colours, unique textures, and striking blooms make them…

We’ve had some absolutely stunning weather lately, and we’ve been making the most of it to get things moving here at RhodoDirect. The big news? Our new propagation house is nearly up! We’ve been all hands-on deck, installing the internal hoop system in the main tunnel house—so much so that we’re all feeling a little…