He reckons naming a clivia, which he always gives a woman's name, for his wife was a particularly dangerous thing to do. "Fortunately, the flower of Clivia Barbara is as beautiful as the woman."
Dry shade is the best position for clivia, which are native to South Africa. "They'll take full sun, but the more sun they get the more washed outthe flowers are. One thing they won't tolerate however, is wet feet."
Potted plants should have slow release fertiliser or sheep pellets after flowering. "If you're going to repot, do it after flowering," Ian says, "but you can leave them for four or five years and they'll be quite happy.
"I've had some in the garden for 20 years and never done a thing to them. They're a very easy, low maintenance plant and there's not much that fits in that category."
THE DETAILS
What: Clivia show - display, plants for sale, growing advice.
Where: Te Puna Quarry Park.
When: Sunday, October 2, 12pm -4pm, free entry
