Central Coast Plant Lovers Fair ’15 THIS weekend !!

CCPLF ’15 Growers

Click on the above link for good garden plants for your client designs, to expand your Growers List and diversify your own home garden towards the more interesting and resilient. 

The Fair at Kariong Mountains High School, Kariong, Central Coast NSW, is open both days of THIS weekend, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th 9am till 4pm and forecasts are both pleasantly overcast so bring plenty of boxes !

CCPLF '14 Fair action
CCPLF ’14 Fair action

All stall holders are worth considering and the following are particular faves of mine for garden making plants par excellence –

Stephen Bridge at Addictive Plants, Andrew Harvie, Keith Tollis and Colin Hunt at Andy’s Rare Plants, Ross & Chris Bolwell at Bloom’n Greenery, David Fripp at Screen Trees Australia,  Klaus Eckardt at Green e Roses, Royal Botanic Gardens Growing Friends, Donnovan & Jessica Linney at Plant Life, Robyn Bible Geraniums & Pelagoniums, Wes and Lorraine Vidler at Weslor Nursery, Don Teese at Yamina Rare Plants, Michael Dent at Aloe Aloe, Elaine Slade at Kawana Nursery and Bob & Gleness and Jamie Lanarch at Bromeliads Australia .. !!

Ipheion sellowianum
Ipheion sellowianum

You can always expect a stand out selection of very kool plants also, at Ruth & Peter Donnally’s Coachwood stall. Among so many faves across their tables just bulging with horticultural treasure, you can expect a good supply Ipheon sellowianum the golden Star Flower. Excellent ground covering companion to autumn white flowering Zephyranthes candida the Autumn Crocus.

Kalanchoe fedtchenkoi dwarf
Kalanchoe fedtchenkoi dwarf

Sometimes best contrasts to ornamental grasses with good humidity tollerance like ultra fine sage green Poa ‘Eskdale’, are found in the rubbery pink and eau de Nil green scallops of Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi dwarf forms as a nice little texture rug.

Senecio amaniensis
Senecio amaniensis

Or you might have a decent sheet of glossy but over homogenous glossy green Billbergia pyramidalis that pokes out into the sun, for a nice contrasting splodge of cochineal Senecio amaniensis. Crassula 'Springtime' Crassula ‘Springtime’

Or what could be nicer as a break from Mini Mondo Grass, to use the rich coffee shades of Crassula ‘Springtime’ between that brick or salt textured concrete paver slabs … heaven 🙂

“Sea-Changer” Shade & Dining Canopy

Summer shade & winter sun … get thee a shade hut.

There were many reasons I decided on this house at Forresters Beach on the Central Costa, chief among them was the rear garden aspect that is open to the north.  

Natureed Shade Hut Canopy
Natureed Shade Hut Canopy

A basic  request among gardening types I hear you say, maybe so but I think essential for anyone who values the benefits of a winter sun trap where sought after warmth can be got right to the back of any static shade device. Meaning no matter how brief, watery or weak the sun might be in the June – July period, any shade device facing most parts of north WILL allow precious rays at this brief but rather important time of year, to warm one’s back to toasty perfection out of the wind. 

Combining the brotherly landscaping talents of Green Elements Simon & Hayden Jones, with Jennifer Snyder’s House of Bamboo (where options in new flooring & wall panelling have reached a recent apex of sophistication and always especially in creative ways to bring shade to the garden), so the “Sea-Changer” Shade/Sun Hut & Dining Canopy have emerged. 

Natureed retractible Dining Canopy
Natureed retractible Dining Canopy

Of course, as the name suggests, its the Shade Hut function that’s supported over many more months than the brief cooler stint, when ferocious daily temp’s mean getting OUT of the sun is the difference between far less appealing air con. and a welcome breeze outside where our climate leads us so naturally. BBQ’d meals, drinks with friends & fam, its all outside for most living on East Coast Australia …  good to know that even for the brief cooler period, Natureed Canopies ARE retractible on cable driven pulleys between the gal. steel frame posts just to let in a little extra sunny goodness.

Looking forward to showing you all this and more at the exciting “Sea-Changer” Saturday, 5th March ’16 Launch so mark your planners for a fun day on the Central Costa.         

Sat 26th & Sun 27th Sept, Central Coast Plant Lovers Fair ’15 only 2 weeks away !

Garden Lovers, Spring surge is again driving more than the odd sparkle across all our gardens and

 CCPLF 15 Growers  link shows you  quick view across good plants to help evolve your plot into the exciting dream garden you always wanted  ….

Andrew Harvey - Andy's Rare Plants
Andrew Harvey – Andy’s Rare Plants

Whether its Andrew Harvey, Keith Tollis or Colin Hunt at Andy’s Rare Plants, with a cornucopia of useful and beautiful goodies like …

Star of Bethlehem
Star of Bethlehem – Ornithogalum hybrids

… some beautiful and reliable Ornithogalum hybrids for a sun drenched, dry patch where weeks of late winter/spring jaffa orange, sunny gold or fresh white could be yours.

Amorphophallus sp.
Amorphophallus sp.

 And of course, Andy’s is the stall to go if you would like your garden to have a bit of monstrous aroid fascination by way of many deciduous species genii like Amorphophallus !

Aristolochia galeata - Dutchmans Pipe Vine
Aristolochia galeata – Dutchmans Pipe Vine

There are always a few interesting climbers as well, like this Aristolochia galeata – Dutchmans Pipe Vine perfect for a warm temperate garden in sun to semi shade. Watch this space for more posts on good grower offerings and looking forward to seeing you “fair side” & bring your boxes  ! 🙂

Kariong Mountains High School, Kariong, Central Coast

9am till 4pm Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th September, ’15    

  • Take the Sydney to Newcastle  M1 Pacific Motorway (formerly the F3), to the “Gosford, Woy Woy and Terrigal” exit.
  • Follow the Central Coast Hwy towards Gosford.
  • Look for the Plant Lovers Fair signs.
  • Turn left at The Avenue.
  • Then left onto Festival Drive.