Christchurch Botanical Garden

When I first saw this Eucalyptus tenuiramis ‘Silver Peppermint’ in the Christchurch Botanical Garden I was so moved by it’s beauty I actually ran up and hugged the old gal.

Her trunk gives you a clue to her age Here she is with her arms reaching out victoriously Easy to see why it is called ‘Silver Peppermint’ Back here at the Christchurch Botanical Garden I stumbled early on to one of my favorite trees from Chile, Araucaria imbricata the Monkey Puzzle tree. The British didn’t settle Christchurch until 1850 and shortly there after they began to establish the botanical garden. I thought no surprise there the Englishmen probably put their flower gardens in long before they finished their roofs. The garden is in downtown surrounded by rivers and has a strong English influence, as does the entire city. Many of the trees in the garden are 120 plus years old.

Tea House at entrance to the garden

The Monkey Puzzle tree amongst good company

I love the shiney needled branches

Who doesn’t love a monkey

This is Protea nitidia from South Africa.

I loved the subtle variations of color and texture in the grouping of plants at the Christchurch Botanical Gardens.From left to right Leucadendron argenteum, Leucadendron laureolum, Leucospermum reflexum.

New Zealand Native Pittosporum eugenioides 'Variegatum' Variegated Lemonwood. This is a highly adaptable plant family that comes in many forms from fast growing trees to dwarf shrub. It is capable of growing under many different soil conditions, its flowers are nicely scented, and is often used as hedges or windbreaks. Arbo_retum asked what zone is New Zealand and believe it or not the answer it even more varied than asking what zone is New England. In general Christchurch, which sits on the Pacific Ocean, is zone 9 but keep in mind there are also rivers surrounding the Botanical Garden. The USDA system of classification has assigned zones 8-11 throughout New Zealand but what I found in talking to gardeners is that differences in local microclimates made zone classifications much more of a general guide than they are here in New England. That said as I post photos I will attempt to include zone info. Also keep in mind that unlike here in the states zones 8-11 were COLD but do not reach the extreme of their zone classification. I will be talking about soil, pests, New Zealand natives, ect all of have extremes not typically found in the US which makes NZ such an interesting place

The Eucalyptus delegatensis or its common name alpine ash (because the timber bears a slight resemblance to pale-colored European ash) is the tallest growing Eucalyptus in New Zealand. Alpine Ash is native to the mountains of Tasmania and the Australian Alps but this one is believed to have been planted in the Christchurch botanical Gardens in 1885. Although this tree is frost hardy and can tolerate temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees, is a hard wood that is easy to work and stain, it was never farmed for anything other than pulp because of it’s tendency to split. New Zealanders are very aware of their agricultural resources and dependency on the world market place. I can’t tell you how many tons of Fuji apples from New Zealand I have eaten over the last five years and expected to see vast apple orchards. I was surprised to learn that with in the last year or two when the price of apples fell dramatically in the international market a majority of the orchards replaced their apples with grapes for wine.

The lower trunk of this Eucalyptus delegatensis reminded me of an elegant woman’s ball gown.

Where the tree begins to limb the bark of the Alpine Ash peels away.

Two dancers with their arms out stretched.

Graceful old gal.

Arboretum asked about pests and today hands down the possum is at the top of the list. New Zealand's indigenous fauna and flora evolved in isolation, making them vulnerable to introduced species as their defense mechanisms are often ineffective. The effects of introduced animal pests and plant weed species have been profound, threatening large numbers of indigenous species. Introduced animals such as possums, are eating indigenous vegetation, while weeds are replacing it. Possums were imported from Australia to stimulate a fur industry in 1858. There are thought to be about 70 million in NZ, while in parts of their native environment they are considered endangered. The possums have no mammal predators in New Zealand and unlike in Australia the native flora has little or no protection ie thorns, plant poisons, ect. The damage they do is primarily to foliage and can devastate vast areas. It is estimated some 21,000 tons of vegetation per day is consumed. They consume about 15% of the annual foliage production of New Zealand's 15 most common plants. Nearly each time I was in the presence of a New Zealander and visiting Australian there was the good natured suggestion that the Australian bring back home a possum with them. Of course NZ is home to another large introduced mammal population Merino sheep and no where in New Zealand from high end boutique to souvenir shop was there a piece of wool clothing that wasn’t blended with possum fur! I must admit I was turned of at the thought but ohhhhh soft and warm. Deer (venison) is farmed in New Zealand and other than trouble from a few escapees they are not on top of the pest list. Second to the possum in the category of serious pest would be the rabbit that Captain Cook brought and introduced for fur and meat. It wasn’t long as you can imagine before the rabbit population was out of control so the weasel and ferret were introduced to reduce the rabbit population which they have done a relatively good job at keeping under control but it is now realized that they are doing serious damage to native birds. And so it goes…with each species introduced from man we are eventually reminded that Mother Nature does know best.

Display in souvenir shop…possum humor abounds in NZ

Home made display of gestational cycle of a possum…yikes!

Although there is plenty of beef to be had in NZ venison seemed to be preferred.

Sheep, sheep everywhere sheep.

Mindy the possum that is a pest in New Zealand is a distant relative to the opossums from the America’s. Possums and opossums are both nocturnal marsupials that are omnivores. There are sixty three different possum species and in Australia where the possums have predators (owls, dingos, ect) the population is under control and possums are regarded much like squirrels here in the states. In New Zealand where the possum has no predator they are doing major damage to vegetation and native New Zealand birds. They are a pest every where and although native species seem to be their favorite they will devastate a perennial bed over night. What they love the most is fresh young leafy growth and they will return to the same tree, shrub, plant, time after time until it is dead. They like to live in dry shelters like hollow trees, garden sheds, or yikes attics. There are many different methods of killing possums depending on where you live. 1080 is Sodium monofluoroacetate. It is an artificially-made substance used to kill possums but is like a naturally occurring poison found in some South African, South American and Australian trees. 1080 is the most commonly used method of possum control in New Zealand. kt

Still in Christchurch Botanical Gardens zone nine a few weeks shy of winter season.

Pinus maritima Cluster Pine from Southern Europe

Cluster Pine Bark up close

Colletia cruciata Anchor Plant was a very cool shrub from Chile and Argentina the blooms are sweetly scented.

This beauty is Fagus sylvatica (European Beech)

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Lawson Cypress...outside and inside

Larix great blue colored conifer

Beautiful cones.

Sculpture in Cathedral Square down town Christchurch

Very active square there always seemed to be a class of some type happening.

Leucadendron is an important shrub in the new Zealand garden as it is winter blooming. It is originally from South Africa and there are many different varieties and colors

Coprosma a native New Zealand shrub is again an important presence in the winter garden. There are at least two varieties that I noted (red & pink). This fall I bought Coprosma ‘Rays Red’ from Avant Gardens that I am trying to winter over indoors. So far it seems to be settling in.

This English variegated ilex was by far and beyond the nicest specimen I have ever seen.

Ulmus globra camperdownii I love how this weeping tree twists and turns where the limbs begin (is that called the union?)

Close up of Leucospermum reflexum

Close Up of Fagus sylvatica (European Beech) It’s bark reminds me of seal skin.

Elegia caperisis – Cape South Africa – great grass

Erica discolor – love the flower I will have to look this one up.

Fatsia japonica

Dicksonia Antarctica - Tree Fern in front of fern house I will post MANY more tree ferns in their native forest as I traveled closer to Antarctica.

Zelkova carpinifolia? Reminds me of a sea serpent.

Cedrus libani (Lebanon Cedar) what a great old grand tree

Cedrus libani var. atlatica (Atlas Cedar)

Araucaria bidwillii (bunya) another great textural plant that NZ gardeners seem to take for granted. I think gardeners who live in areas that have year round blossom have a more difficult time appreciating the value of texture.

The few local gardeners that I spoke to in Christchurch shared with me a number of interesting things but the few things that stood out in my memory were that one weather/gardening challenges they face are nor’wester’s which were described as a hot wind that can reach storm force levels and cause a lot of damage in the garden as well as to their homes. In the winter it is common for this zone 9 area to have temps that drop below 32 degrees at night and it will snow once or twice a year in the hills and once or twice every couple of years in the Canterbury plains. Most homes have by American standards small yards but everyone seems to be passionate about gardening particularly with NZ natives. I heard the same thing throughout NZ that in the land areas with volcanic soil you don’t want to ever garden without a good pair of gloves as the volcanic soil will leave your skin cracked and bleeding. With a population of 350,000 the city of Christchurch is the largest city on the south island and the third largest in all of NZ. It was first settled by the English in 1850 when they sent over four ships carrying 800 people and unlike Australian pioneers most New Zealanders would like you to know these new settlers were not criminals. The city it self like many NZ communities is land locked and sandwiched between the banks peninsula that stretches into the Pacific Ocean to the east and the port hills (which are the remnants of two small conjoined volcanoes) to the south and a glacial fed river (forgot the name ) to the north. I have included below some parts of a travel journal (good reading to go to sleep by) that were my first impressions for family and friends. I then hopped a tram to Lyttleton a town on the other side of the surrounding mountains that is and was the last port before the artic. Although this small town of three thousand is only a 15 minute drive from the "big city" it had been cut off until they cut a tunnel through the port hills in 1965. When I first arrived to town I was getting my camera out of my pack ect and a nice older man started to talk well you know I not much for talking……………so he gave me a tour of his village which included introducing me to everyone on the street and in any shop we entered. He was very old and walked very slowly but it was very cool to immediately become a part of this village. We stopped at a local café and had a glass of wine and spoke with three other women my age. The conversation was lively and interesting. I am leaving Christchurch tomorrow and traveling south along the east coast through the Canterbury plains to Dunedin where there are penguins and royal albatross. Miss you all Love kt

This photo was taken standing on top of the port hills (which are the remnants of two small conjoined volcanoes) looking to the south down into the small village of Lyttleton and Diamond harbor with the Banks peninsula and Pacific ocean in the distance

Main Street down town Lyttleton note that housing in town is built on volcanic slope and lot sizes are considerably small.

Cool older theater building

These homes are typical in style and size for non city homes throughout New Zealand

Dunedin New Zealand

Getting close to Utopia Today is gray, cold, and wet, but I left Christchurch and headed south into the Canterbury plains after one hour traveling on the main highway (two lane road) we entered the Ashburton District we drove for another half hour through farm country. Nothing but flat land broken up buy rows of confers planted as wind breaks the mile after mile of fields enclosed by green walls is very different. Some of the land is for sheep but quite a bit looked as though it is farmed. Every once in a while there will be a break in the developed land and there will be a stretch of bush which is low scrub of scotch broom that is in bloom now and grasses. Ashburton has a population of 14,500 and the down town about the size of Plymouth was thriving with shops and restaurants catering to the locals rather than tourists. The only tourist draw to this area is hot air ballooning and a small race track (horses I think). The homes that are not on a farm were cute small and again little or no yard in the downtown area. Ashburton is the big city for the Plains District and of course has an Agricultural feel but they do have an art museum and golf club. Of course there are sheep everywhere but there are also llama farms as well as deer (venison is often on the menu of all types of restaurants. It is a bit odd to see a herd of deer fenced in on a farm. Everywhere I go there are travel agencies on every corner as new Zealanders are big travelers I don’t think I have spoken to a single person who has not traveled to the states. There is a big Japanese population as Japan is relatively close by. While on a public bus an older man started singing a sea chantey about the northern lights of course everyone showed their appreciation with applause so he continued to serenade us for the rest of the ride. I couldn’t believe how many songs this elderly man knew I can barely remember the lyrics of a few Christmas carols. Stopped in Oamaru for lunch it was a nice seaside town with white stone buildings where I went into a tea room and had a mutton and pickle sandwich. Oamaru is the end of the plains and suddenly I entered rolling hill country with the southern alps to the west and an untouched shoreline to the east. The rolling hillside is primarily grassland with conifers spotted here and there and of course sheep. Everywhere you look in the south there is beauty far greater than I expected. Although it is a gray wet day in the fall (apples are still hanging on the trees) when we drove through the small town of Palmerston I easily could see creating a life here. There were a couple of homes for sale as well hmmm……I wish you were here Joe I think I have stumbled on our dream. Well this is just the beginning of the journey but I see little reason to continue on other than the need to eventually catch a plane back home to you. xoxo kt

Cordyline australis is a tree that grows 20-30’ and is one of the hardiest of fifteen species (yucca - Joshua trees out west) five of which are native to New Zealand. The early Maori used the leaves of the cabbage trees to weave into clothing and rope and it was part of their diet. Archeologists discovered cabbage tree ovens on the Otago peninsula (where we are now) which were a bed of hot rocks in a pit with food placed on top then a wet clothe…rocks on top…sounds like a clam bake! Being an admitted plant snob (now come on you know you are too) I must admit I barely paid any attention to the cabbage tree until I saw it in a more formal garden design. Tell me what you think.

Otago peninsula

Formal Garden on the Otago peninsula

Same view just a little closer and now it includes the native cabbage trees. I think the addition is outstanding.

Lochness Castle

Maori Meeting House down the road on Otago peninsula with native plantings including a cabbage tree.

Taiaroa Head - Otago Penninsula – Dunedin. This is an amazing area as it is home to Royal Albatross, Yellow Eyed Penguins, Blue Penguins, fur seals, sea lions, to name a few.

Where’s Waldo!! There are at least eight fur seals in this photo see if you can find them.

To see the extremely endangered yellow eyed penguins you are brought to a shelter on the beach at a great distance to view with binoculars and are kept hidden from the penguins. They nest on the bank.

Blue Penguin

Looking down on the city of Dunedin and across at the beginning of the Otago Penninsula

Old Boy School - Love this limestone and style of architecture.

These are a few photo's taken of the garden outside of Larnach Castle which was the 19th century home of a powerful and scandalous family. The town of Dunedin is on the south end of the south island and is a university town with a strong Scottish heritage influence. This photo was taken at the beginning of June which of course was of course a few weeks away from New Zealand's winter season. Dunedin will on occasion get snow but it usually melts before it hits the ground. Amazing color in this winter garden

Oh the texture

Artichoke

Love the bull.

I like how the planters break up the linear walkway.

Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants, mostly shrubs, and is a member of the Onagraceae (evening primrose family), but one New Zealand species Fuchsia excorticata is unusual in the genus in being a tree. The most common cultivars are hybrids, of which there are thousands, propagated by cuttings, since seeds will not breed true. My photo is of a hybrid in a residential garden in Dunedin. There are about 125 wild species of fuchsia. They are only to be found in Latin America (+120 species), in New Zealand (4 species) and Tahiti (1 species). The New Zealand species and Fuchsia magellanica from the mountains of Magellan in Chile, are very winter hardy. F. procumbens (New Zealand) is also winter hardy it is a creeping fuchsia that lies flat on the ground and produces erect, small bright yellow / brown / green flowers with red anthers and bright blue pollen. The stems are very thin and foliage is rounded. It is native to sand banks on the Northern Island of New Zealand. Fuchsia excorticata is a deciduous tree fuchsia which grows on edge of forests in New Zealand , particularly the North Island, up to 3000 feet and forms a tree of some 40 to 50 feet in height, in favorable conditions forming a trunk 3 feet in diameter. It is one of the most common trees of the New Zealand forests but is one of many native trees that possums are devouring. It has a short gnarled trunk and the cinnamon colored bark hangs in long strips. Fuchsia excorticata will grow so large that it is often used as a cover for Rhododendrons.

Re: Fuchsia magellanica and F. procumbens. Those of us who live in a warmer end of z6 definitely could try to grow F.magellanica, which is reputedly hardy to -5/-10F (z7). Of course, if you'll be able to find it, since I never seen it for sale here. I got mine from GWer from PNW, but ForestFarm have several cultivars available. It will behave as a dieback perennial, pretty much as a caryopteris, and if dies completely to the ground will resprout from the roots very late, say mid/late May. In such case it will be about 2x2' by July and will bloom from early August till frost. Shrub is heat and drought sensitive and absolutely resist transplanting (that is how I killed mine) unless in a very early spring while dormant. They are mostly red/scarlet, but there is a lavender cultivar 'Mollinae'(sp?) and a pink one 'Sharpitor'. I'll be looking to buy some of those next spring to plant among azaleas/rhododendrons for the summer color and possibly to grow in container. F.procumbens is a very 'strange' plant, IMO. When not in bloom you'll miss it completely. When in an early stage of bloom you have to be pointed to it, otherwise you'll miss it as well. The most interesting part is at the late stage of the bloom, when some flowers are still present, but seedpods already formed and start turning into plum color. I don't grow it, but saw fairly old speciman grown in a huge urn in private garden in Florence, Italy. BTW, the world largest assembled collection of fuschias is in....Sweden. EGO

Train Station in Dunedin

I took this photo because I thought it was a good example of a possible solution to the problem of gravel drive meets lawn. What do you think?

Downtown Dunedin- note that the covered walk ways offer shelter from sun, rain, snow. In each NZ city I visited there were similar shelters on each corner where pedestrians would wait to cross the street. The shop awnings throughout the cities over hang to the curb it was wonderful I wish New England Cities would offer the same.

March of the Penguins Well every mile forward into my adventure becomes more amazing after a six hour drive to Dunedin I arrived into a city of 120,000 it sits on the Pacific Ocean at the bottom of some steep rolling hills. Dunedin is a University town and was originally founded in 1860 during New Zealand’s gold rush era. This is such a beautiful place in some ways it reminds me of San Diego. I made my way out of the city and on the Otago peninsula I found a place called Natures Wonders that is a privately owned stretch of land and beach dedicated to protecting the endangered yellow eyed penguin. The endangered yellow eyed penguin (there are only eight hundred of them left in the world) is the only penguin that can not survive in captivity it becomes so terrified it dies within two hours of coming in contact with humans. Unlike other types of penguin’s the yellow eyed is very solitary they mate for life but do not like to be too near other yellow eyed penguins. When I arrived to Natures Wonders they handed me a rain slicker and directed me to a mud covered otv vehicle…off we went into the sheep covered hills and down the cliffs to the shore to watch the penguins from afar. They nest in the foothills and take turns waddling across the beach and into the ocean to feed. When they are done feeding their mate is so excited to see them return they leave the nest and waddle to the shoreline to greet them. They were soooooooo cute. Off of the same beach two days earlier three killer whales had been spotted. This is also the nesting place of the royal albatross which is a huge bird with a wing span of 4-6 feet. Again I am finding the people to be very generous of spirit and again I am in another city that has zero litter isn’t that amazing? The University is the most prestigious in New Zealand and is Dunedin’s largest employer followed by Cadbury Chocolate and then an appliance manufacturer. Joe perhaps this place is not only calling to me because of it’s in creditable natural beauty but the possibility of working at a chocolate factory as a taster of course. On the surface I think we would be very happy living anywhere between Oamaru and Dunedin but who knows what tomorrow will bring? Love kt

Entrance to the Dunedin Botanical Garden that is located in the heart of the city Zone 8.

Great combo of Cordyline and Dahlia in front of Rhododendron. Although considered to be in the same USDA zone Dunedin is closer to Antarctica than Christchurch and it’s climate closer mimics that of the Himalayans. The botanical garden is most revered for its Rhododendron dell.

Every turn more beautiful than the last

This shrub was not labeled but I am pretty certain it is a Barberry.

This peaceful vista is one that I think arbo_retum is going to love.

I like the added dimension that terracing gives to this herb garden

Terraced alpine garden isn’t it one of the most beautiful you have ever seen?

Dunedin Botanical Gardens

Magnificent Moss. This river runs through down town Dunedin

Great knots

A rose is a rose is a rose…

Yes bug eaten at the end of the season but I love the leaf combo.

Rhodies look good as a backdrop or foreground to everything.

One of my all time hands down favorites.

The scale here is wonderful.

Although not a New Zealand native there are many different varieties through out NZ gardens…not a stretch to see why I just love the shrub regardless of the flower. I came across the following info re the genus of Protea that I thought was interesting. "Africa shares only one genus with Madagascar, whereas South America and Australia share many common genera — this indicates they separated from Africa before they separated from each other."

Protea scolymocephala

Protea aristata

Protea

Cedrus deodara ‘Mountain Beauty’ in center

Colorful conifers

Arbutus unedo Strawberry Tree

One of the main differences between Christchurch and Dunedin Botanical gardens is the age of the specimens Christchurch (and it is a concern for them) has a large population of older trees.

Path up the hillside toward the Rhodendron Dell…No photos of Dell they were all lost as were a third of my over all photos when my lap top crashed and fried. Yes I know back up… back up… back up.

Palmerston a small village population 890 which is typical of the FEW small villages outside of the cities. The south island is made up of vast stretches (hour after hour, mile after mile) of sheep/venison farms. This photo really represents what the Otago region is all about it reminds me of Nova Scotia you can double click on the photo and work with the button for a close up view. It is about an hour north of Dunedin the area's big city. I spent the morning and part of the afternoon touring around Dunedin trying to learn about the different areas, while getting a cup of tea I chatted with some locals all of whom are very proud of their city. A few things that I found out were New Zealand is called the country of the white cloud..in reference to the number of cloudy days. It does snow this far south but just like at home it is infrequent and usually melts before it hits the ground. In the 90’s New Zealand went through a slight recession and Dunedin was the only city that did not have a hard time because the University is the large employer and like plumbing there is always a need for Universities. Real estate prices are considerably higher than I thought they would be but I am yet to be discouraged. The city itself is very cool the botanical gardens were amazing they have a similar climate to the Himalayans where rhododendrons are native so the Botanical Garden has four thousand different rhodies from around the world all planted in a dell. In November when they are in bloom people come from all over the world some of the rhodies are even scented. Yes I know Morgan your making your trip plans now. Everything in New Zealand is backwards the sun sets in the east the south side of a house is the shady side, and they drive on the wrong side of the road. I traveled today to the southern alps to a town called Te Anau the alps look just like the Alps in Austria. All during the 4.5 hour trip all I saw was sheep and grass covered rolling hills there were two small villages along the way that were unremarkable. I arrived in the evening so I don’t have much to report other than my feeling that this area may be too remote for everyday living but the Otago region outside of Dunedin may be what we are looking for let me know what you think. I am going to Queenstown soon and have high hopes for that area.