Our first meeting of 2026 was full of energy, as members enjoyed catching up with each other’s news.
The sales table was very generous, helping to keep our financial report healthy, and the competition tables were groaning with an abundance of blooms, vegetables, fruit and preserves. Twenty-nine members attended the meeting, with 32 competition entries received.
Feedback from our Christmas luncheon at the Hamilton Workingmen’s Club and our Christmas meeting was very positive. Members also enjoyed visiting three gardens in the Ngāruawāhia and Taupiri area.
Tips on how to best condition picked flowers were discussed.
Ngāire shared the marvels of her olla pots — ancient unglazed terracotta vessels buried in the soil to provide highly efficient, slow-release, self-watering irrigation. She first saw these many years ago in Italy and has since installed them in her own garden with brilliant effect. Her tomatoes are producing abundantly, are very healthy, and there are no weeds. This irrigation method is best suited to fibrous-rooted plants such as tomatoes.
Denise has established a dahlia garden with nine beds of stunning dahlias and other cut flowers, some of which are supplied to the Main Street Café.
Green stink bugs are again a problem at this time of year; squashing them helps deter other beetles.
Competition Results
Bloom: 1st Liz, 2nd Jude, 3rd Pat
Vegetables: 1st Pat, 2nd Trish, 3rd Sherryl
Fruit: 1st Liz, 2nd Jude, 3rd Denise
Preserves: 1st Vivian, 2nd Vivian, 3rd Liz
Raffle Winners
Gloria, Peggy, Liz, Jude, Colleen and Denise
Following the meeting, members visited two beautiful rural gardens — those of Kate Thomas, who also runs an Airbnb, and Chrissy Richards, one of our members. Both properties feature expansive views and restful, large gardens.
Our next meeting will be held on 5 March at 10am at the RSA. After the meeting, we will visit three gardens in Huntly: Colleen’s, Liz’s, and one other.
New members and visitors are most welcome. For enquiries, please phone Liz Johnson on 022 074 1223.
