The future is craftsmanship

In a world that is full of mass production everyone can buy a range of products in the rush to “keep up with the Joneses”. Mass production techniques produce identical items to exacting standards to ensure all have the same quality.

Some products are modularised to allow for some individuality and to customise commodities. In other words design your own products with company produced parts. For example Dell Computers allows people to design their own computer online and have it delivered in 3 weeks or a menu at a restaurant allows the making of a meal from a list of items.

Increasingly we are seeing the emergence of new and young designers. Fashion, clothing, jewellery, gardens, cars, technology, bicycles and house hold items. But are people really getting something personal to match their personality, ideas, expression and creativity. Unfortunately young designers are setting out to do the same thing as their predecessors. Design good stuff and have it mass produced and sold all round the world as a commodity.

There is of course an increasing trend to “Buy Local” as this is better for the environment and helps achieve sustainability. The increasing price of fuel is pushing up the price of goods as well as manufacturing and delivery prices. Further pressure will come on products as people start calculating carbon miles.

With the increasing need of the consumer to be more individual, to be carbon neutral, to express personality and to contribute to a sustainable future people will look for new and interesting local products made by excellent local craftspeople. The concept of handmade will become increasingly fashionable.

With high class equipment available at reasonable prices, locally produced handmade bespoke products do not have to be inferior but rather superior. They may be cheaper or more expensive than mass produced products depending upon the quality of the materials being used and the quality of the finish required.

High quality, creative, handmade products locally produced will generate great sales. In addition the sales marketing power of the internet can take great local products to the world at less cost than traditional retail methods.

Expect to see creative, high quality, hand made, bespoke products locally produced gracing the lives of people throughout the world while having a low environmental impact.

Lachenalia

Cape Cowslip, Soldier Boy, Leopard Lily.

Native of South Africa the genus Lachenalia comprises about 65 species but less than 10 are in cultivation and many of them are found in New Zealand and Australia where they grow very well. Lachenalia takes its name from the Eighteenth Century Swiss botanist, Werner de la Chenal.

Flowering in mid to late winter they are ready to herald the coming of spring. Colours vary from rich crimson to golden yellow with mixtures of colours in between. There are others with purple and delicate opalescent colours. The tubular flowers are crowded on a spike covering a fleshy stem. When planted and grown in a sunny or semi-shady position these are trouble-free bulbs. The only pests and diseases likely to be encountered are aphids and some fungal rots of the bulbs. Lachenalias like regular watering during winter and spring. They like to be dried off and stored or if grown in a dry place will survive from year to year.

Lachenalias grow well in pots, window boxes and hanging baskets. They need to be removed from these containers after flowering.

Three species common in New Zealand are Lachenalia pendula, L. tricolor and L. 'Pearsonii'.

L. pendula, Red Lachenalia, has deep crimson tubular flowers about 30 mm long, the inner tube is tipped with green and patches of mauve. They hang down along the length of the stem. Depending upon position they will flower from July to August. It is often used in bedding plant schemes and for cut flower production.
If really happy this plant will rapidly multiply producing heaps of new bulbs. It will also set viable seed and surprisingly leaf cuttings taken at flowering time will produce hundreds of small bulbs. There is one hybrid ‘Scarlet Bloom’ which is very vigorous, producing brighter and lighter coral-red flowers.

L ‘Pearsonii' is reputed to be a cross between L. tricolor and L. bulbifera but it appears to be an improved garden form of L. tricolor. It is a fine garden plant and is probably the best orange-yellow flowered form and is taller growing. The stems and leaves are mottled with purple-brown and it is an excellent cut flower.

L. tricolor [syn. L. aloides] is the best known and the most grown species. The flower colour varies in the wild resulting in a number of cultivars being named. Generally the tubular flowers are bright yellow tipped with green and the flower base is light red or reddish brown.

New Medical Tourism

Did you know we have a new form of Tourism Medical Tourism. Private medical treatment is relatively cheap in New Zealand compared to world prices. North American people looking for private surgery are being encouraged to travel to NZ for treatment. At the same time they are exploring as much of NZ as they can. NZ offers safe advanced medical care and our first language is English. This appeals to North Americans who are able to save over 50% on the cost of an operation.

Timeball Station Lyttelton

Recently restored inside the Timeball station is again open to the public seven days a week.

It was built to signal to the ships navigators the correct time so they could calculate accurately Longitude so they new where they were when they were navigating the world.

Learn the fascinating story of time keeping and navigation. Enjoy the spectacular views of Lyttelton Harbour.

Open seven days 10am to 5 pm.

Nerine flexuosa ‘Alba’

Nerine flexuosa ‘Alba’

In May each year this small Nerine produces a lovely display of white flowers. While it grows well and multiplies freely it is not as common in gardens as it could be.

At this time of year a plant which is in full flower is important. Planted in full sun it requires little care other than cleaning the bulbs by removing some of the old dead leaves ensuring the summer sun reaches the bulbs t make sure they will flower. Autumn watering will help establish their roots so that new bulbs are produced and the older ones have their energy renewed.

The genus Nerine, which belongs to the Amaryllidaceae, is made up of small to medium sized bulbous plants. They are all native to South Africa, and there are 20 to 30 species that originate from rock ledges, mountain screes, mountain ledges and other well-drained and arid habitats where the soil is not too rich. Most occur in the summer-rainfall areas, from the Eastern Cape Province north and eastward. In New Zealand they are quite hardy but in England and other countries with tougher winter climates they are considered to be tender and they are grown in pots.

Nerine flexuosa ‘Alba’