Yippee! More rain in Auckland!

Last year's "golden summer of our youth" brought nurserymen to despair. This year we're rejoicing in the gift of good rain.

Don't wait to plant later - do it now, when both warmth and moisture will get your planting project off to a head start.

Photos gratefully received.

Every month, we award a prize for the best photo contributed to our website. We've had some wonderful photographs uploaded - and this month is no exception. Check out Steve Flood's amazing Fuchsia at http://www.oratianatives.co.nz.

While we're always delighted to receive beautiful photos of unusual plants, we are equally grateful for shots of more common species. Eventually we hope to have illustrations of every species, and so we need not only close-ups, but also a view of the mature plant either standing distinct from its background or clearly defined in a landscaped setting. We also try to balance beauty with interest and seasonal appropriateness so it's not always the prettiest plant that wins.

So don't be overawed by some of the spectacular shots that have been contributed - take heart and send through shots of your favourite everyday plants. Where there's a gap in our photo library, there's a chance for a prize. No plant is too humble!

Terms of Trade.

In order to qualify for wholesale prices and credit, trade customers need to have completed an account application form and signed our Terms of Trade.

In a few cases, some of these forms have been returned to us incomplete, and as we check and update our records, we will be contacting these customers directly. Please understand that in the current economic climate, it's important that we ensure the proper records are in place.

New Price Structure.

Unsustainable prices have been a characteristic of the nursery industry for the last 20 years, when tenders for revegetation plants became so low, growers were caught up in a price war. While some contractors who won tenders survived by substituting inferior plants for the designated ones, the most damaging effect was that the perception of a plant's value was totally distorted. Our new pricing structure primarily affects the smaller grade plants, some of which have remained the same price since the early 1990s.

The new prices reflect the level of difficulty in sourcing, cultivation and nurturing each species. Only by bringing prices to a realistic level can we continue to provide the wide range of species that our customers have come to expect.

Phones.

Anyone who has tried to contact us in the last few days is likely to have had a very frustrating time. Rest assured that frustration was running equally high at the other end of the line, too! Each of the providers involved was convinced that the fault lay with one of the others.

Apologies to those who had difficulties contacting us. We're told the problem has now been identified and, hopefully, resolved.

Positive Feedback.

We've been very heartened by the positive comments and encouragement received since we announced our decision to downsize last November. It is comforting to be able to report that most of our ex-staff have moved on to other work, in several cases putting the knowledge they gained with us to very good use. We are delighted that they not only still talk to us, but come and visit from time to time.

 
We are grateful to all our customers, and look forward to building even stronger relationships with you over the coming season.

 
Regards,
The Oratia Native Plant Nursery Team