Taranaki Regional Council media release
13 March 2009
For immediate release

How To Succeed With Seeds

Secrets of seed success will be shared at a public workshop at Hollard Gardens, Kaponga, next Sunday (22 March).

The free workshop will focus on techniques for growing flower, herb and vegetable plants for seed, and how to harvest and keep the seeds for future use.

Participants are also encouraged to bring along seed and plant material for exchange, and the workshop will end with hot refreshments and a walk around the 4.5 ha Hollard Gardens, a heritage property owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council on behalf of the people of the region.

“Harvesting and keeping seed is a simple, economical and productive way for people to enjoy their favourite annual plants year after year,” says the Council’s Regional Gardens Manager, Greg Rine.

“Gardeners at any level, from the novice to the long-time enthusiast, should get a lot out of this workshop.”

Mr Rine says a plant and plant material exchange session has been added at the suggestion of participants in previous Hollard Gardens workshops. “People can bring anything – from a redwood seedling to a dahlia tuber, or carrot seeds that have been in the family for a couple of generations. As long as it’s not a weed!”

As well as a hot drink, participants will be able to sample a from-the-garden snack – perhaps potatoes with horseradish sauce. “This will be a forerunner to the next scheduled Hollard Gardens workshop on 12 April, which will focus on the edible ornamental garden.”

The 22 March workshop starts at 2pm and will run for two to three hours. It is part of a series of free public events at Hollard Gardens and at New Plymouth’s Tupare, another Taranaki Regional Council heritage property.

For more details, see www.hollardgardens.info and www.tupare.info.

ENDS

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