President's Report ...

This is my first IPPS President’s Report so it’s good time for me to tell you how I feel about you guys…and girls. IPPS members are a disparate bunch united by a love of growing plants and good fellowship, a thirst for more knowledge, and a willingness to share what they know with others. We are the friendly society. This observation is born out by looking at the length of time that members belong, and the acceptance that new members feel when they first attend our events. If in my time as president we can keep these values strong then I feel that I will have done my job. I am in the enviable, and privileged, position of taking over the running of a society that is in very good heart.

A couple of goals I have set myself as president are to bring more hands-on practical propagation workshops to the members, and to significantly boost our membership numbers. As results from our survey in Auckland show, many of you are prepared to share your knowledge.

As part of the second goal I ask all members to actively seek potential new members from within your local industry, your colleagues, and within your staff. Print out a membership form here, or email Glenys Evans - gus.evans@xtra.co.nz to receive a membership pack.

The Auckland conference and pre-conference tours were a great success. Over 220 people attended the full conference, or parts of it - that is not bad when we have a NZ membership of 230. Our overseas visitors left with a high opinion of what we do here. Many thanks to the conference organizing committee consisting of Sandra Simpson, Brian Frost, Gordon Scott, Shirley Ogilvy, Malcolm Woolmore, Grant Hayman and Terry Hatch. Also thanks to the 4-packers – Amber Twin, Karl Munn, Emma Hinkley, and Beau Phillips. They have received free membership for a year. Roll on Tasmania!

Our society is really about people as much as plants. One of our earliest NZ members, Ellaby Martin, was recognized with the Award of Merit for outstanding services to propagation in NZ. Also on the Saturday night, our long-serving editor, Chris Barnaby, received the John Follett Award of Recognition for outstanding service to the Society. Congratulations to you both.

On the Executive Committee, I must thank firstly Ray Lawson for the passion and good humor that he always injects into the society but particularly during his time as president - a job well done. He will now take over from Grant Hayman as our International Director at the end of 2008. As for Grant, with Robynne at his side, he stands very tall among IPPS members for his unwavering and awesome commitment to the IPPS cause. The pre-conference tour that he organized this year for the international delegates will probably go down in the annals of the Society.

The other members of the Executive Committee are Ian Williams at First Vice President who moves from organizing the field trips to organizing our conferences. Philip Smith is now the Second Vice President and takes on the role of field trip organizer. I was going to say “in the background”, but that wouldn’t be quite true, is the irrepressible Shirley Ogilvy as Treasurer. She is actually the most out-there “shy” person that I have ever met. Shirley is the hub that the machinations of the Society revolve around. Glenys Evans as Secretary very ably supports her. The balance of the committee is made up of Jill Reader (Editor – conference papers), Gordon Scott (Fisherman), Ken Davey (Publicity Officer), Jeff Elliott (4-pack and Scholarships), Lana Hope (New Members), Hayden Foulds (Newsletter Editor), and Brent McKenzie (Historian).

Please contact any one of the above if you have any issues, comments, praise, complaints etc that you think will be of benefit to the committee and/or to the general membership. See the contact information.

On the field trip front, Wayne Turner has organized an excellent itinerary around Wellington on Saturday 23rd August. This is at short notice so check out the program now. Note the other varied and interesting trip options.

The IPPS International Board has adopted a new logo and slogan. This is covered in some detail in this newsletter. The objective is to more accurately reflect the current membership, and to attract new members. The old logo will not be lost, and I am very sure that we will continue to “seek and share”.

These are challenging and uncertain times in NZ, but there are still many opportunities out there in the plant world – start seeking!

Wishing you all a great spring.
Murray Mannall

International Line up at Conference 2008

2008’s conference didn't disappoint - indeed many said it was one of the best, enriched with papers and raconteur from the many overseas speakers following the International Board tour and meeting which preceded conference.

For the early birds, Wednesdays and Thursday trips to Tiritiri Matangi Island Wildlife Refuge and Rangitoto Island Volcano were a highlight. Our offshore islands are a treasure trove of flora and fauna, and many are just a stone's throw from our cities.

Friday saw presentations on The Poor Knights Islands, new challenges at UK's Kingfisher Nursery, inspiration from northern European naturalist planting design and the intriguing Disa orchids. Following the AGM, it was onto the buses for an afternoon at Landsendt Subtropical Plants, NZ Liners and Franko Roses. Friday was completed with great dinner, music and social times at Markovina Vineyard Estate.

Charles Heuser kicked off on Saturday showing us the wealth of information that's behind the international website - www.ipps.org. Bromeliads for NZ conditions followed, and Ian Duncalf spoke about his new direction with Plant Struck, and Kings Seeds' battle with ERMA provided insight into the HSNO Act. Following papers covered photography, lavender propagation and production, in-vitro breeding techniques and hybrid pines.

Lunch at Muriwai Beach was refreshing and visits to Nga Rakau Nurseries and Oratia Natives were somewhat frustrated by Auckland's traffic woes. Sunday's paper sessions covered plant collecting in Mexico, Mediterranean Firs, Graeme Platt on the evolution of plant reproductive strategy, hot crops from around the world and a workshop on selecting and commercializing new cultivars.

Yes, it was a ripper. Thanks to all who helped organise conference, host overseas visitors and to the sponsors for their generosity - it helped keep the registration fee down and helped with covering costs of food, entertainment, buses, etc.

Some paper reviews in this newsletter, others next time. Plus Pat Heuser’s perspective of the Board’s NZ tour. So read, enjoy and start planning for 2009 - a joint conference with Australia in Hobart.

WANTED - Native Plant Nursery Lists

I am involved in a project looking at the uses of NZ Native plants in landscaping, and would like to obtain copies of as many current nursery lists as possible so that we can get as accurate as possible with the project. We need to list species, synonyms, common and cultivar names.
I would be grateful if you could please send copies of your Native plant list(s) to:
Ken Davey
211 Ngamotu Road
New Plymouth 4310
Email diza@clear.net.nz

Disa Orchids - Conference paper from Ken Davy

Report by Amber Twin

Mr Davey now spends his spare time working on the beautiful Disa Orchids.

Mr Davey now retired, worked for the New Plymouth City/District Council, running their Council’s Parks Nursery, then as a Technical Officer in the Fernery at Pukekura Park.

Disa are originally from South Africa and there are over 100 species. Disa Orchids are cool growing orchids, and are hard to kill with over-watering. Flower stems can have one flower and some have been found with ten flower heads. The main Disa flower colours are red, orange and yellow. Growers in New Zealand cannot keep up with the demand around the world. Breeders like Mr Davey are working hard to create new colours and different flower stem shapes and sizes. A new hybrid with a long stem with lots of small flower heads has been formed.

Mr Davey grows his orchids from seed in margarine pots. He sows the seeds in a composted pine bark mix around March. Margarine pots are placed in trays with another tray placed on top - this practice eliminates liverworts and mosses. Seeds germinate in 3 weeks, and in 6-9 months seedlings are pricked out and potted up, and in 2-3 years plants will flower. Mr Davey’s orchids are kept in an unheated fibreglass shade-house and a seaweed liquid fertiliser applied.

A small colony of yellow Disa Orchids has been discovered in South Africa. These have been crossed to produce a pale yellow specked flower.

Thank you, Mr Davey for your very informative speech and thanks to everyone who made it possible for me to attend the Auckland IPPS conference.

Evaluating Mediterranean Firs - Conference Paper from Ricky Bates

Report by Hayden Foulds

Ricky Bates from Pennsylvania State University spoke on the evaluation work being done on fir trees (Abies) which are used as either a landscape plant or Christmas Tree in the United States. However, problems with native species of fir including root rot and sensitivity to hot dry conditions led to trials being done with firs native to the Mediterranean region which perform well under adverse conditions.

While the trialling at Penn State is still underway, observations and results from other trials have shown that several species show potential but need to be matched to suitable markets. Greek fir, Spanish fir and Moroccan fir are suitable for landscaping; Silver fir and Cilician fir as a
replacement for the shade tolerant native Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) which is susceptible to insect damage; and Nordmann fir and Turkish fir for the Christmas tree market.

Ricky concluded his presentation by saying that it is possible European firs have been overlooked because of their poor performing neighbours from across the Atlantic, although he stressed further trialling work needs to be done to fully evaluate the performance of these trees.

HELP APPRECIATED - Hebes as a source of nectar for butterflies

The Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust is wanting to undertake research into which of our native flowers are best for providing nectar for butterflies - and would be very grateful of our suggestions.

Overseas they are told that a suitable shrub for nectar is Buddleia species. Hebes are the second most desirable plant used by butterfly farmers in the USA, after Buddleia species. Aware that B. davidii is regarded as a noxious weed in some parts of NZ - and we would like to promote a native species.

In Christchurch a few years ago they found a large Wiri Spears which was very popular with Monarch butterflies. If members can offer any recommendations, or people we should talk with, it would be greatly appreciated.

Jacqui Knight - jacqui@monarch.org.nz
Secretary
Monarch Butterfly NZ Trust

Snippets from meetings held during the Conference in Auckland

• New members accepted: Nigel Odering, Marjo Gisberts, Graeme Humphries, Graham Saltiel, Kenneth Telford, John Thirkettle, Chris Lu, Greg Tod, Jackie Williams, Chris Hannan.
• With Chris Barnaby resigning, after many years of very much appreciated work getting papers ready to be published and sending them on to the USA, we welcomed Jill Reader onto the Committee to fill his shoes.
• The pre-Conference tour with Grant Hayman wearing the “Leaders” hat was a fantastic success. All the overseas participants had heaps of NZ scenery and experiences, beginning with an earthquake in Queenstown, Doubtful Sound, Trans Alpine Train, whale watching, Picton ferry crossing, Mt Ruapehu at sunset with not a cloud in the sky and mulled wine drink as they took in the majestic view. How lucky were they all to have the best run of weather you could hope for as well? Read a full report of the tour by IPPS International Secretary/Treasurer Pat Heuser next newsletter.
• Our nomination for Eddie Welsh to be the first NZ person to receive the International Award of Honour for his services to IPPS was accepted.
• The “At Large” region is now up and running with 2 members. This is for people who wish to join, but their country is not part of any existing region.
• With the use of “Blog” sites on the internet becoming popular, NZ is on the lookout for a volunteer to get one running on our site.
• All in all the On-Line Registrations worked well, the teething problems were fixed by Shirley and after evaluating the work Shirley did, it is felt we may be able to handle this operation ourselves without involving outside people.
• Next year’s Conference is in Hobart combined with Australia. Details will be circulated as soon as they are to hand. Dates are 14th – 17th May 2009.
• Future conferences have been set down for:
  • 2010 – Blenheim 27th – 29th May
  • 2011 – Napier 5th – 8th May
  • 2012 – Westport
  • 2013 – Taupo
  • 2014 – Wellington (Combined conference with Australia)
• Field days are being organised for the coming year to Manakau (South Auckland 22 Nov ‘08), D Úrville Island (6/7 Mar ‘09), Rakaia, and Tongariro Crossing
• Moving ahead with the formation of a “Fellowship” category.
• New members elected onto committee were Hayden Foulds, Jeff Elliott, Lana Hope.

IPPS Conference Survey results

At this year’s conference in Auckland, attendees were asked to complete a survey to gather their thoughts on various aspects of IPPS. A total of 131 out of 220 attendees took part in the survey which was made up of 92 members, 35 non members, 1 prospective member and 3 who did not indicate. The following is a summary of the results.

• What conference topics would you like to hear?
  A range of answers here, mostly around plants and propagation techniques. Much mention was made of practical topics and native plants, with interest also in new plants and IPM among other topics.
• Speaker suggestions
  A number of names or someone representing a particular group e.g. young horticulturists or DOC were suggested.
• What do IPPS do well at conference?
  A range of answers were given mostly around the themes of networking/social events, food, organisation, speakers and field trips.
• What can we improve?
  Only a few comments here in a range of areas, nothing too serious but some food for thought.
• Registration problems
  67 said no, 9 said yes, 4 did not use it. Some problems with credit cards, ease of use and sorting out problems, otherwise ok.
• Are you happy with the number of field trips?
  85 same number, 10 more, 6 less.
• Where to go for Field trips
  A wide range of suggestions were given here so plenty of ideas for the executive to follow up on.
• Places least likely to go for field trips
  Again, a wide variety of answers here but no general pattern which goes to show that what might appeal to one will not appeal to another.
• Are you willing to organise field trips?
  67 yes, 35 no
• Would you like to see practical propagation demonstrations?
  106 yes, 4 no.
• Are you happy with newsletters?
  99 yes, 4 no.
• Are you happy with the website?
  102 yes, 1 no
• Are you willing to speak at conference?
  34 yes, 71 no, 2 not sure
• Are you able to demonstrate some of your practical propagation skills?
  36 yes, 62 no, 2 not sure
• Any other suggestions?
  Range of comments made on various topics ranging from field trips, encouraging members, meetings and conferences.

In summary, those surveyed were very positive about IPPS and their experiences with our organisation; however there is always room for improvement. It was great to see so many people putting their names forward to organise field trips, speak at conference or demonstrate some of your practical propagation skills.

Two-pack nominations now required for 2009 IPPS Conference

We’re seeking two enthusiastic, passionate and motivated people to assist with running next year’s conference, which is a joint one with Australia in Hobart from May 14th – 17th.

This is a great opportunity for someone who’s been in the industry less than five years & who are studying or have just finished studying in some form of horticulture. They are introduced to IPPS, learn more about the industry & meet people involved in various aspects of horticulture. Plus, they get to experience all the different aspects of conference and it’s something to put on their CV for the future.

In return, the successful applicants will receive free travel to and from conference, free accommodation and meals whilst at conference and free registration. They will also get to keep their 2 pack shirt and will also receive a free IPPS membership for the following year. Those applicants that are not successful receive a reduced conference registration of $50.

If you would benefit from this experience or know someone who would, then contact Jeff Elliott (jeff.elliott@clear.net.nz) for further details & application form. Applications close on 30 November ’08.

Coming Up - Field Trips 2008 / 2009

• There’s a great line up ahead.
• Manakau - South Auckland - 22 November 2008, registration details later in the year.
• D Úrville Island - 6 & 7 March 2009, registration details later in the year.
• & also in 2009 - Rakaia, and the Tongariro Crossing

Keep an eye on the website, www.ipps.org.nz, as dates and programmes firm up.

New Look, New Plans Launched for Worldwide Visibility - Press Release

A new logo for our highly respected professional organization was approved in May by the Board of Directors of the International Plant Propagators’ Society. Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, the International Board approved a new logo and tag line to represent the Society in its promotional materials. The new look features the acronym “IPPS” in a graphic form followed by a tag line to describe the purpose of the organization: “Sharing Plant Production Knowledge Globally.”

The decision to introduce a new logo is part of a continuing process by the International Board to reflect the expanded focus of the Society and its evolution into a major global organization representing a unique mission and a unique membership. The Board engaged in a planning session last year which helped to establish consensus about the next threshold in the organization’s growth and the changes needed to achieve their goals.

According to International President Terry Hatch of New Zealand, the new logo reflects the broader scope of the group’s focus beyond propagation of ornamental plants to encompass the entire range of plant production activity. The current logo is a circular seal with a graphic portrayal of hands positioned for grafting – a long-standing propagation technique. However, the 2,100 members of the worldwide organization are not limited to propagation in their interests. IPPS members include growers, academic researchers, students, extension professionals and other educators, plant breeders and serious collectors, staff of botanic gardens and arboreta and even retail marketers of ornamental plants. As Hatch explains, “this new logo is fresh, bold, and more appealing to our audience and the younger prospects we want to attract to IPPS.”

The legal name of the group will not change, and the grafting hands symbol will continue to be used in internal communications in honor of the rich history and tradition of the Society. But the movement is toward using solely the acronym in the trade and in promotional materials, accompanied by the tag line. The eight regions of IPPS in various parts of the world can now utilize this new logo and tag line in their recruitment materials and on their websites, which will also be linked to the international website, www.ipps.org, where they will also be integrated.

The agreement to begin using the new logo in promotional activities follows the Board’s decision in 2006 to take advantage of an opportunity to position IPPS more prominently as an international plant-related organization. By 2009, abstracts for all papers included in the past 57 volumes of the Combined Proceedings will be available online through the PubHort website hosted by the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS). IPPS members will be able to view all the abstracts and download full papers ten times in a year for no charge, as a benefit of their IPPS membership. In addition, the site will be accessible to anyone researching plant production information, who can then download full papers for a fee, and IPPS receives a financial benefit from those download purchases. This new sharing of IPPS knowledge is a major step in giving IPPS more recognition in the international community of plant professionals.

Another major step approved by the Board for 2008 was the approval of a new category of membership – at-large members. This membership group, supported by the International Office, allows individuals in parts of the world not encompassed by an existing region, to join IPPS, receive the Proceedings, and be able to attend any region’s conference at member rates. Two individuals have joined already in 2008 – one from Korea and one from Barbados.

IPPS has much to offer those in plant production, including opportunities to learn from each other and form long-lasting professional associations and friendships. The motto of this organization is “to seek and to share” and it has pursued that goal for nearly 60 years. Moving boldly into the 21st century, IPPS is carefully crafting its strategy to apply that motto to the entire world.

Wanted – your articles, opinions and comments for the newsletter.

I’m looking to make the newsletter more interesting and informative for members so I’m looking for people to send me their articles, opinions and comments for publication. If you know someone who could write something, then encourage them to send something in or pass their contact details onto me. I realise not everyone finds writing something easy, so I’m happy to help anyone who asks for it and if you are stuck for something to write about, here are some ideas:

• A particular plant or group of plants that you have a particular interest in, even if it is something outside of your usual line of work.
• Special interest topics such as a propagation/production technique, breeding or trial work with plants.
• Visits to gardens, nurseries, conferences, events etc both in New Zealand and overseas.
• Your experiences within the industry, particularly for some of our younger members.
• Trends you have observed within the industry and where they are going.
• Topical issues such as plant imports/exports, climate change, red tape, genetic modification etc.
• Book reviews or interesting websites to visit.
• A short biography of someone interesting or well known in the industry.

There should be something there for everyone so please get writing and send me something to publish. I’m happy to receive your contribution either electronically or handwritten, provided it is readable! Photos and diagrams are also welcome to accompany articles etc.
Thanks in advance
Hayden Foulds

BUY, SELL & SWAP

PB5 Planter Bags - $35 plus GST per thousand, some PB6.5 as well. Call John Liddle at Liddle Wonder, phone 04 293 6255, john@liddlewonder.co.nz.

Anybody want, don't want, need, don't need anything?
Send details to Nalin nalinnz@paradise.net.nz

Conference Sponsors

PLATINUM SPONSORS
Carann Ltd
Daltons Ltd
HortFert Ltd
NZ Peat Southland Ltd

GOLD SPONSORS
Horticentre Ltd
InfoServices of Lincoln
Interworld Plastics NZ Ltd
Kiwigold
Mark-It Labels
Netafim NZ Ltd
PSP Athco
Scotts Australia Pty Ltd
Southerley Trust – David & Libby Richwhite, England
Touchwood Books

SILVER SPONSORS
Commercial Horticulture
Crop & Food Research Ltd
Easystow Industries Ltd
Egmont Commercial Ltd combined with RX Plastics Ltd
Industrial Processors Ltd
Plant Production Ltd Ltd
Southern Horticulture Ltd

BRONZE SPONSORS
Appletons Tree Nursery Ltd
Fruitfed Supplies / PGG Wrightson
Scion
Transplant Systems Ltd
Ellaby Martin

OTHER SPONSORS
Kings Seeds Ltd
Rainbow Park
Multiflora Ltd
Te Horo Ornamentals
Andrew Maloy
Joy Plants

IPPS Propagators Scholarship

• Are you a person who wants a future in Plant Propagation?
• Do you wish to learn more about plant propagation and nursery techniques?

Then apply for the IPPS Propagators Scholarship and we can help you on your path of learning.

International Plant Propagators Society are proud to offer scholarships to those people who wish to extend and improve their knowledge of plant propagation.

The Society’s objective with these scholarships is to seek out those people with a genuine interest in plant propagation and a wish to further improve their opportunities in the nursery industry.

If you have a chance to learn more or to gain valuable experience, this Scholarship is available to assist you with the finance required to take advantage of that opportunity.

Why this Scholarship?

The nursery industry leaders are slowly getting older and trendy industries are getting more than their share of young graduates. This industry isn’t.

Yet worldwide, it is a thriving dynamic industry to be involved with at many levels. Life is all about supply and demand so the opportunities within this industry will be huge in the near future. The heart of this industry is the plants and the people who understand them. The IPPS Propagators Scholarship helps ensure that this industry has knowledgeable and enthusiastic people to continue progress.

Scholarship Details

Each year three scholarships can be awarded, each worth $2000.
The Scholarship money may be used for any of the following:
Pursuing a prescribed course of study, where the course content is relevant to plant propagation.
Undertaking a Research Project pertaining to plant propagation.
Assistance with gaining relevant work experience in New Zealand or overseas.

Application forms and further information are available from Jeff Elliott 033149049 or jeff.elliott@clear.net.nz
Applications close 31st October 2008.

IPPS on the Web

Did you know that the New Zealand region of IPPS has its own website? Have you visited it recently? Do you know what the address is? (www.ipps.org.nz)

There is a lot of useful information on the site for members and it is also a good reference for potential members to visit and learn more about the great stuff we do as a society.

John Liddle looks after the NZ website and would be interested to hear member’s thoughts and ideas about the site – email john@kinggrapes.co.nz

• Membership – Outlines benefits of membership and activities. Can also download code of conduct and application to join form.
• Conferences – Details of this year’s conference including program and registration form. Reports of previous conferences and where future conferences are being held.
• Field trips – Details of current year’s field trips and reports on previous trips held.
• Awards – Outlines scholarship and awards presented by NZ IPPS.
• Newsletter – Latest newsletter available to read.
• Contacts – Provides details of executive committee.
• IPPS International – Links through to the International site.

The International site (www.ipps.org) contains a lot of useful information relating to the various regions around the world.

• About IPPS – Provides details of IPPS including contacts for various roles around the world.
• Membership – Outlines how to join IPPS.
• Regions – Links to home page and executive for each region.
• International tour – Information on this year’s tour plus photos of last year’s tour.
• Proceedings – Index of proceedings and sample papers to view.
• Calendar – Events from other regions and related horticultural events.
• Resources – Links to various websites of interest.
• A blog has also recently been added with several entries onthe pre-conference tour of New Zealand. Well worth a read.

The member’s area is also worth a look. Log in by clicking on ‘member’s area’ in the top right hand corner of the international homepage which will take you to another page where you enter your ID and password. This information would have been sent to all members’ recently; otherwise contact Shirley Ogilvy for details.

This area contains the membership directories for each of the regions plus a message board where you can post questions to be answered by other IPPS members.

Conference 2008 Field Trips

Franko Roses
Field Trip Report by Jonathan Bussell

Roses New Zealand Ltd is a specialist rose breeding company based in New Zealand. It’s family owned, started by Frank and Ko Schuurman, now run by Daniel Schuurman.

We visited the 5 year old home base breeding and testing facilities in Auckland but the company also has facilities in Ecuador and Columbia. New Zealand contributes 5% of the business’s total production. Worldwide production is now focused on developing countries where overheads are much lower.

It takes 8 to 10 years from pollination to a saleable rose.

None of the roses were scented: scent is associated with a short vase life.

3 types of rose are trialled - Hybrid T of which, out of a thousand trialled, about three make it through to the market; spray roses with multiple heads which account for 30% of market in Japan (5% elsewhere in the world) and mutations.

Oratia Native Plants
Field Trip Report by Liza Whalley, photos by Reference Publishing

Saturday afternoon (bordering on evening) took us to the fascinating world of Oratia Native Plant Nursery. Nestled in the Waitakere Ranges of West Auckland, the nursery was an extremely enjoyable end to a rather thorough bus journey that had our group 'tiki-tour' areas of Auckland and enjoy the sights of local rugby on a Saturday afternoon! Getting to the nursery was the real bonus as we were greeted by real kiwi hospitality: home-made muesli slice and orchard apples.

Oratia Native Plant Nursery is a nursery that is keen set on conservation, and this has started with the property itself being revegetated with plants that have been eco-sourced from the area. Having a real family feel about the property, staff and business aspects of the nursery emphasised the full effect of the nursery as a project to help in the area of NZ Natives. Having the vast collection of endangered and special plant species they are involved in onsite was a real privilege to see, especially as the people behind them are obviously involved in the propagation for research and preservation.

Although slightly biased as a Native admire-ee myself, I found the nursery visit to be one of the most enjoyable of the conference. The people behind the plants really embrace the 'seek and share' theme within the industry they are involved in, and it’s awesome to have the opportunity to be a part of sharing the same vision.

Personally, the highlight of the visit was the genuine passion and wealth of knowledge that Jeff McCauley (Young Jeff) has for conservation, and especially in his keenness to share it with other people.

As we walked through the native collection planting, it was a real humble pride in achievement that struck the group, and the work that had been put into developing the area off pure enthusiasm and dedication was well received - and not just to native enthusiasts like myself!

NZ Liners
Field Trip Report by Paul Michael

Good visit was had by all @ NZ Liners. This older style nursery has its main focus on exporting plants to overseas markets. The main line being phormium but moving into other lines as well. Things like: Cordyline, Astelia, Ferns and Wisterias were some of the other lines they do.

Looking across the vast area of outdoor production someone mentioned “ where have all the green plants gone”, this being a comment on the many coloured varities & forms of plants being grown. Multi-coloured phormiums & coloured psuedopanax seemed to be the flavour of the day.

The staff were on hand & gave informative information about the running of the nursery, Due to the strict conditions applied, the owner Paul explained a bit about the processes that needed to be adhered to for export - a big manual was waved about that encompassed the regulations that they followed.

Packing out shed & boxing up was a well rehearsed operation. Interesting tube system was used in conjunction with the way they packed the boxes, giving a well-packed container where very little space was wasted.

A very good quality catalogue was on hand & one could see the important part it played as a marketing tool in this well organized & run operation.

Newsletter by Email

This newsletter's being sent by email only to all those for whom we have email addresses. A hard copy is being posted to others. If you're an email recipient and want a hard copy, email Shirley Ogilvy accordingly - solgilvy@xtra.co.nz. If you've got a hard copy, and want to receive the newsletter by email (complete with colour pictures!), send Shirley your email address - solgilvy@xtra.co.nz

Editorial Contacts

Visit www.ipps.org.nz

©2008 International Plant Propagators' Society - New Zealand Region
S Ogilvy (Treasurer) C/- Bruntwood Nurseries, 208 Narrows Rd, RD2, Hamilton
P: 07 843 4902, F: 07 843 4396

Unsubscribe here

Email newsletter by KingGrapes