Category Archives: Stop press

Ornithological bickering and squabbling

Three paradise ducks but spot the shag

Three paradise ducks but spot the shag


The paradise ducks were not at all thrilled by the shag in their old pine tree (you can just see the silhouette of the shag amongst the pine needles but it is about 20 metres up the tree) and were attempting to move it on by verbal abuse. The bellbirds don’t like the tui (one tui, two tui – we have many tui but they don’t have an s to make them plural). Everybody hates poor old Hedwhig the Morepork and the tui will persist in lording it over pretty much every other feathered inhabitant of the garden, including each other. Clearly these birds do not believe in peaceful co-existence.

Introducing Roma Red – our latest camellia

Roma Red - our first new camellia release for a decade

Roma Red - our first new camellia release for a decade

Camellia Roma Red in full bloom

Camellia Roma Red in full bloom

The first new camellia we have released for a number of years – in fact the first since Camellia Volunteer in 2001. Nobody could accuse us of naming and releasing new cultivars willy nilly. Roma Red has been a long time in the trialling process. The original plant is clipped as a lollipop standard and we have admired its good, red formal blooms for many years. Trials showed that it sets excellent flower buds on young plants and has pleasing compact growth. The flowers are formal and red – very red on the parent plant, tomato red even. In container grown plants, the red can take on a slightly coral tone but perfection is hard to find and we remain confident than when planted out, that true red will reign supreme.

Roma Red is available from selected independent garden centres this season or we have a few plants available here.

You can design your own

Strictly a joke for New Zealanders, this one. Tikawood perhaps?
Tikorangi The Jury Garden

Coming Friday: the verdict on the Sequel

Two versions - they look the same, but are they?

Two versions - they look the same, but are they?

Coming Friday: the verdict on The Sequel. Sally Cameron’s efforts on the Tui NZ Fruit Garden version 2. My site stats tell me there is plenty of interest in the topic.

For earlier stories:

1) The Tui NZ Fruit Garden – dear oh dear.

2) Does credibility and reputation count for nothing these days, or does Penguin just think we have short memories?

3) Front page of the morning paper, no less.

Does credibility and reputation count for nothing these days, or does Penguin just think we have short memories?

Unbelievable. The second most read entry on this website is the piece on plagiarism I wrote last May which resulted in a lightning quick withdrawal from sale of Penguin’s publication: The Tui New Zealand Fruit Garden by Sally Cameron. Even now, that article attracts several hits most days. But Penguin clearly think the public will have forgotten. Exactly a year later, they will be releasing the new version of the book. To all intents and purposes it looks the same, but apparently this new edition has been written “in conjunction with a panel of industry experts”.  Well that is a relief and shows that some notice may have been taken of the earlier shortcomings, but what on earth made them think that the author, Sally Cameron, has any credibility left?

Are we to see this new edition released with all the usual hype and hollow accolades for the author? I fear it is likely, given the early blurb on Penguin’s website: The Tui NZ Fruit Garden [PDF] It is a good topic, Penguin, and you produce good looking books. You just needed a credible author and a new look. Will you be offering to replace the withdrawn copy with the new edition for those who were unfortunate to waste their money on the first attempt?

The Tui NZ Fruit Garden