New season roses, azaleas and camellias have all arrived. The quality and range exceeds all expectations and we know you too will be impressed.

Top marks have been awarded to the new season roses at Hawkins. After rigorous scrutiny to ensure the best quality, their buyers proclaimed them ‘sensational’. The plants are mature 2 year-olds that exhibit a well-established root system. Many have not yet commenced flowering, but this is advantageous, as it allows extra time for the roots to become well established, resulting in a stronger and healthier plant, before budding and flowering commences.

Ask to see their 2002 Rose Catalogue. In it you will find details about varieties that are available, whether they are perfumed and the type of flower and growth you can expect. They also produce an excellent Hawkins Fact Sheet, “Growing Roses Successfully”. It is packed with information about roses including where to grow them, soil preparation, maintenance and ongoing care. It’s always easier when you know how.

You’ll be excited by the range of Azaleas on offer at Hawkins Home & Garden this season. Now your favourites are available, ready for you to enjoy in shady or sunny spots around your outdoor living areas. The taller growing magnifica and spendens types, Azalea indica will reward you with a profusion of extra large, single flowers. Although their main flowering is in spring, indicas will spot flower through the year as well. The ever-popular kurumes are among the smallest growers in the range, but they are big on performance – behaving brilliantly in garden or pots.

Hawkins handy hint

Roses, azaleas and camellias all enjoy perfect drainage. Quite simply, they hate wet feet. They prefer a soil that retains enough moisture for their shallow and deep roots, but one that drains away excess water freely. If you are concerned about less-than-perfect drainage, consider planting them in conditioned soil that is raised in mounds above the surrounding soil level.

The Hawkins 2002 range of azaleas features Searchlight, Firelight, Candylight and Twilight, quite predominantly. These ‘lights’ are in a class of their own, given their outstanding performance in containers or garden beds. The ‘lights’ offer brilliant flowering for most of the year, not just in the cooler months. Whether you choose from Searchlight, Firelight, Candylight or Twilight, you’ll be able to enjoy a compact shrub that is glossy green that is very ready and able to thrive in the sun or semi-shade.

Hawkins are renowned for their love of and enthusiasm for Camellias and it would be fair to say they have Queensland’s biggest range. Such a vast display of stock automatically brings with it variety and choice. The Paradise range alone is huge, and having been developed specifically for Queensland conditions, you can be assured of a camellia that is going to thrive in pots or garden beds around your home. When you are shopping for camellias, always remember that the camellia sasanqua prefers plenty of sun, but camellia japonica is definitely a shade-lover.

Armed with this information you can go forth and conquer camellias. One word of warning though, with so many wonderful flower types and colours on display, choosing your favourites will not be easy.

Happy gardening! And, make sure you visit any of the three Hawkins Home & Garden centres soon to enjoy their new season’s range.