Camellia's are in bloom at Constable Estate Vineyards

Camellia’s are well in bloom at Constable Estate Vineyards!




The Camellia Garden at Constable Estate Vineyards contains approximately 70 varieties of Sasanqua and Japonica. The garden is framed with Sasanqua RufflePink designed to form a hedge.

The path has been created in the shape of a C (the entrance) and H (the foot of which leads to the exit). The C and H refers to Constable and Hershon, the original name of the vineyard.



Constable Estate Vineyards Head Gardener, Barry has recommended a few hints for planting and maintaining a healthy camellia garden.

Barry’s secret to growing camellias is good drainage! They must be planted in loose, well-drained soil. (Slightly acid (pH 6), sandy or loamy is a great soil for camellias.)

A mix of 15%-25% coarse, sharp sand, mixed with 75%-85% fine pine bark mulch, is an easy, inexpensive and ideal soil mix.

Camellias love a few (about 10%) pine bark “nuggets” added to the soil mix. The roots will attach themselves to these pieces of pine bark because of the air the bark holds. Add enough dolomitic limestone, about two tbs. per cubic foot of this mix, to bring it to a pH of approximately 6. (One cubic foot of soil is equivalent to 1-1/2, five-gallon paint buckets full of soil.) This is all that is needed.

Distance between planting camellia really depends on and will vary with growth habit ofthe species and cultivars you are planting. Generically, when planting camellias in the landscape, allow a minimum of about eight feet between plants, except for planting a hedge when a distance of six feet may be okay. Some of the new `Winter-Hardy’ camellia hybrids make excellent hedges as well as stand alone, tough and decorative plants.

Barry’s easy steps:

Step 1:
Pick your location: The best place to plant your camellias is under a pine tree or in an area with filtered sunlight. Camellias need water; if they dry out they die. If at all possible, plant near established trees or shrubs for protection.

Step 2:
Choose your soil: Camellias prefer acidic soil (without limestone), which can be attained by adding the right ingredients depending on what type of soil you start with. Take a soil sample of about a cup to your local nursery for testing. This should be free of charge and is the easiest way to prepare the soil for your plants needs.

Step 3:
Plant selection: Look for the most mature and disease-free plant. Plants that are more mature will have more extensive root systems that protrude from the bottom of the container. The plant should look healthy and have uniform color leaves.

Step 4:
Prepare the Planting Bed: When you are ready to plant, dig a hole about twice as big as the plant. Turn over the soil beyond the hoe to about 3 feet in diameter if possible. Add the recommended soil fortifiers.

Step 5:
Planting Your Camellia: If you are planting in hot weather, plant your camellia early in the day or in the evening to prevent shock. Take the plant is in and give it a squeeze to loosen up the roots and allow you to remove it from the container. Grab the plant by the base of the trunk and gently tug on it. The plant should slide out easily with little resistance.

If the plant does not come out easily, stop tugging and use a cutting tool to carefully cut the container away from the plant. Next, grab both sides of the root area and gently break up or scratch the roots, just enough to stimulate the plant, the way you would scratch someone’s back. This helps stimulate the plant to grow and also lets it know it is no longer in a container. Plants should be planted at the same level as they were in their container. Planting too high will allow the roots to be exposed, while planting too low will not allow the plant to breathe at the base of its trunk and it will suffocate.

Step 6:
Water your camellia after planting. This is vital to a plant’s survival. In hot areas, do not water the foliage as it will burn the plant

The Gardens

The Gardens
THE CONSTABLE ESTATE VINEYARDS GARDENS

HUNTER VALLEY, NSW

Constable Estate Vineyards NSW was established in 1981. Out of a total of approximately 15 hectares, 7 have been planted with Shiraz, Semillon, Chardonnay and Verdelho.

A house was built in 1985 and at that time native shrubs were planted to give privacy and act as a windbreak.



In 1984 a project was commenced to establish a large scale Hunter Valley country garden comprising various well-spaced gardens and a sculpture garden.

Sculptures

SCULPTURES

Before I became involved in the collection of sculptures for the Constable Estate Sculpture garden, I was unaware of the impact of their location on the vineyard. Over time, you develop an eye for such things but initially, naiveté probably rules.

Our first project was a dedicated sculpture area within the garden and here it was relatively easy to place the pieces within the allocated space. Even when we bought some larger sculptures, it seemed a simple task but it wasn’t until we acquired ‘Manhattan’ and the sculptor himself came to the vineyard to find the optimum location for his piece that I realised placement itself was an art. ‘Manhattan’ is a contemporary work in slate-coloured and mirrored steel in the shape of a reverse U, 2.2m high by Campbell Robertson Swann. .

When I saw the work at the sculptor’s studio, my mind flew to various locations on the vineyard and I thought an open space would be the perfect home. But Campbell was surprising and adamant in his choice. After walking around the series of gardens and open grounds, he settled on the Secret Garden, where a sculpture already stood!

It was a Victorian statue of Mercury in take-off mode, complete with his winged sandals, plumed hat and drawstring purse. Mercury had seemed so well suited to this romantic environment. His presence had overseen the growth of two magnificent Chinese Elms which stood on either side of the rectangular space, mysteriously enclosed by a Western Red Cedar hedge and guarded by two protective bronze lions. Once inside the garden, you became aware of the purple Salvia and white lilies which nodded sympathetically towards him. Did this sculptor want Manhattan to share the space with Mercury? No, he wanted Manhattan to replace Mercury who was to be evicted to the shade of a Casuarina tree near the house! I was truly shocked and upset for my light-footed friend but went along with the change having been persuaded it would be better for Mercury to be closer to human contact, enjoying the stream of visitors to the Cellar Door. Strangely enough, Mercury did adapt well to this new location but what surprised me most was my feeling on seeing ‘Manhattan’ for the first time in the Secret Garden - the sense of the modern superimposed on the classical and the monumental Dionysian against Apollonian lightness. In late afternoon, the sculpture had a new life when the sun displayed all her colours through the inverted U, ricocheting glitter from the mirrored surface.

Having learned so much about sculpture installation from this experience, I left the placement of our new piece, ‘Wind, Shining, 2007’ by the Japanese sculptor Hiroyuki Kita, to an expert. We bought this magnificent stainless steel mobile, which is finely balanced on a tall rod and ball bearings, at ‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Bondi beach. The steel, red-tipped mobile, which can be enticed by the merest whisper of a breeze, is being installed near the edge of the dam. Proudly independent, the interlocking movable arms reach unencumbered to the sky and if you could sit on top and twirl, both ‘Manhattan ‘and Mercury would be easily visible.

I. Constable

Wine Tasting

Learn how to taste and smell wine

Learning how to taste wines is a straightforward adventure that will deepen your appreciation for both wines and winemakers. Look, smell, taste - starting with your basic senses and expanding from there you will learn how to taste wines like the pros in no time! Keep in mind that you can smell thousands of unique scents, but your taste perception is limited to salty, sweet, sour and bitter. It is the combination of smell and taste that allows you to discern flavor.

Pay attention to the way the wine changes as you hold it in the mouth. First impressions on taking the wine into the mouth may be referred to as the forepalate, followed by the mid and end palate, leading up to the finish.

Here are some easy steps for learning how to wine taste:

1. Note the wine’s viscosity - how slowly it runs back down the side of the glass - while you’re swirling. More viscous wines are said to have “legs,” and are likely to be more alcoholic. Outside of looking pretty, this has no relation to a wine’s quality.
2. Sniff the wine. Initially you should hold the glass a few inches from your nose. Then let your nose go into the glass. What do you smell?
3. Take a sip of wine, but do not swallow yet. Roll the wine around in your mouth exposing it to all of your taste buds. You will only be able to detect sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (think: meaty or savory). Pay attention to the texture and other tactile sensations such as an apparent sense of weight or body.
4. Aspirate through the wine: With your lips pursed as if you were to whistle, draw some air into your mouth and exhale through your nose. This liberates the aromas for the wine and allows them to reach your nose where they can be detected. The nose is the only place where you can detect a wine’s aromas. However, the enzymes and other compounds in your mouth and saliva alter some of a wine’s aromatic compounds. By aspirating through the wine, you are looking for any new aromas liberated by the wine’s interaction with the environment of your mouth.
5. Take another sip of the wine, but this time (especially if you are drinking a red wine) introduce air with it. In other words, slurp the wine (without making a loud slurping noise, of course). Note the subtle differences in flavor and texture.
6. Note the aftertaste when you swallow. How long does the finish last? Do you like the taste?

Happy wine tasting!

How to prune roses

On your next visit to Constable Estate Vineyards, wonder around for a look through our beautiful Rose Garden and just admire how roses can be used a such a feature.

Our Head Gardener Barry shares some advice on how he maintains the gardens roses on the property when it comes to that time of the year.

Pruning rose bushes can be intimidating to many gardeners, but it is actually very good for the plants.

Becoming an accomplished rose pruner takes time and practice, but keep in mind that it is very hard to kill a rose with bad pruning. While there is a great deal of disagreement among rose experts regarding how and when to prune roses, it is generally agreed that most mistakes will grow out very quickly and it is better to make a good effort at pruning roses than to let them grow rampant.
Why Prune Roses

* Encourage new growth and bloom
* Remove dead wood
* Improve air circulation
* Shape the plant

Tools You’ll Need

* By-pass Pruners
* Long-handled Loppers
* Thick Gloves (preferably long ones)

Rose Pruning Basics

1. Use clean, sharp tools
2. Look at the overall plant, but begin pruning from the base of the plant.
3. Prune to open the center of the plant to light and air circulation
4. Make your cuts at a 45-degree angle, about 1/4 inch above a bud that is facing toward the outside of the plant.
5. Make sure it is a clean cut (not ragged)
6. Remove all broken, dead, dying or diseased wood (Any branches that look dry, shriveled or black. Cut until the inside of the cane is white.)
7. Remove any weak or twiggy branches thinner than a pencil
8. If cane borers are a problem in your area, seal the cut with a white glue, such as Elmer’s.
9. Remove sucker growth below the graft.
10. Remove any remaining foliage

When to Prune Roses

Timing is determined by the class of the rose plant and the zone in which it is growing. Most rose pruning is done in the spring, with the blooming of the forsythia as a signal to get moving. If you don’t have forsythia, watch for when the leaf buds begin to swell on your rose plants, meaning the bumps on the canes get larger and reddish in color.

Hybrid tea roses are the most particular about pruning. If you don’t know what type of rose you have, watch the plant for a season. If it blooms on the new growth it sends out that growing season, prune while dormant or just about to break dormancy, as stated above. If it blooms early, on last year’s canes, don’t prune until after flowering.


Rose Varieties

Modern Ever-Blooming Roses & Floribunda: These bloom best on the current season’s growth. Prune hard (½ to 2/3 the plant’s height) in the spring and remove old woody stems. Leave 3-5 healthy canes evenly spaced around the plant. Cut them at various lengths from 18 - 24 inches, to encourage continuous blooming.

Hybrid Teas & Grandiflora: These also bloom on new wood and should be pruned in early spring. Remove dead and weak wood. Create an open vase shape with the remaining canes by removing the center stems and any branches crossing inwards. Then reduce the length of the remaining stems by about ½ or down to 18 - 24 inches. You can allow the older, stronger stems to be a bit longer than the new growth.