Coatesville Country Garden Club Autumn 2019

Dear Members, Welcome to our second newsletter of the year which has been kindly written by our Club Scribe Liz Rosie. Liz has provided a thorough account of all the club’s travels to Whangaparaoa, Whangarei, the Chelsea Sugar Works and Fernglen. From all accounts you’ve been privy to some amazing gardens both private and public. I think the last time I wrote we were still experiencing the effects of a long dry summer with low water tank levels putting a squeeze on the stress levels of the home garden/er. Despite this, I had bumper crops of heat loving veggies: chillies, egg plants, beans and tomatoes. The drought has now clearly broken with the garden in a recuperation mode and the focus now on the winter prune ahead, changing out crops and enjoying the autumnal colours. Down at the Wild Wood on the Coatesville Reserve, another working bee has seen a huge pile of mulch redistributed around the young seedlings, some of which have been repeatedly attacked by the local Pukekos. Next month we hope to get most of the remaining seedlings in trays planted out and get on top of some spraying of the ever persistent wandering buttercup. We aim to have regular monthly working bees on the reserve, planned for the third Sunday with a 9 am start, a morning tea break and wrap up by 11.30. Lastly, no doubt you’ll be readying yourself for the June Bumper Trade table next week as well as have your entries in with Owen for our Digital Photographic Competition. If you haven’t sent your entry into Owen yet, get it to him this week. All the best Tanya Ankersmit President

Whangaparaoa Gardens

We spent a wonderful couple of hours at the amazing garden of Rosemary and the late Ian McPherson. It was on a steep bank above Stanmore Bay, leading right down to the smooth, sandy beach. We could well believe Rosemary when she said she sometimes went for two or three swims a day. The short driveway led to an impressive front entry of white limestone pebbles. There were no paths at the sides as the neighbouring gardens were all integrated into one. We walked through the house (no shoes off here) and were met with a series of decks and wide steps zig-zagging down the hill. Shell paths continued down to the beach. An intriguing use was made of a small leaved ivy as a path edge, clipped like box, and as a smooth, neat covering for a small bank. Rosemary clipped it with small battery powered clippers. It was most effective. A grandson had helped her put small paths here and there for maintenance, and she said it made a tremendous difference. The planting was modelled on the tropical gardens of Thailand and Singapore where Rosemary and her family had spent many years. On first look it seemed like a hard garden to keep looking good, but as Rosemary talked we could see how she managed it with remarkably little effort. Watering was kept to a minimum, and she used seaweed from the beach as fertilizer. North facing, the garden was sheltered from the prevailing south-westerlies, but she had found that fierce north-easterlies decimated anything delicate. She had not let the inhospitable soil prevent her from growing a wide variety of plants that we in cold, frosty Coatesville could only dream about. Bromeliads, bromeliads and more bromeliads, mostly glowing reds, were everywhere. Palms, cannas, a precious pomegranate, bananas, taro, dracaenas and, right down by the beach, some giant strelitzias all had that big leaved, lush look to them. A pretty little pink dinghy pulled up on the bank would have given hours of fun to her eleven grandchildren.

It was an education to see how such a spectacular garden had been created from such a difficult site. The low maintenance aspect (no flaxes!) was particularly appealing. The same tough plants were repeated over and over again, and it seemed that this was a major influence on Rosemary’s garden routines. She seldom bought anything new, but just took bits off something that had proved its worth, and put it in somewhere else. It was an innovative, colourful garden that was a pleasure to visit.

Our next stop was another garden with a wonderful sea-view, that of our own Lea Chapman. Overlooking Army Bay with a nicely mowed council reserve next door, and a very European style house, it was a lovely place. We looked out on to a bank of huge pohutukawas that would have been absolutely stunning at Christmas time. There were a lot of us when it came to morning tea, but in Lea’s two storied house with its two separate kitchens it was a breeze.

As we walked around Lea’s garden, we saw many familiar plants and trees. Different varieties

of dracaena made a splash at the front, and beautiful pink hibiscus trees were in full bloom. Tall china doll trees provided shade as did a flourishing fairy bamboo and a silk tree. Agaves, a big fruit salad plant, a money tree and a huge philodendron were all thriving, despite the lack of rain. As we explored a shady working area, we found a little glasshouse, and what looked like a Useful Shed. However, inside it was much more than that. A museum of delightful treasures, it was a sanctuary where you could sit, rest, and listen to the birds. A vege garden and a beautiful, aqua coloured obelisk added to what was an interesting, workman-like space. Except for this part of the garden where Lea had an impressive paving project under way, this was an established garden that showed some maturity. Big trees always add appeal, and the aged pohutukawas close by on the cliff, were a prominent feature here. Thank you, Lea, for having us.

Whangarei

We left bright and early at 7.30, and had a smooth ride to our morning tea stop at Rosie and Gordon Speedy’s Rockhoppers garden. What an amazing surprise. A long, succulent and bromeliad lined driveway bordered a lawn so smooth and fine it didn’t seem real. We discovered later that it was kikuyu, mowed every four days. Regular spraying of edges kept it out of the garden. So that’s how to have a stunning lawn, even after three months of drought. A long, low terracotta coloured house was a backdrop for a garden of cacti, bromeliads and succulents in many differently shaped terracotta pots. They were widely spaced with small, bright, scoria stones as ground cover. It was a really novel arrangement that, combined with the house, hinted strongly of Mexican origins. Tillandsias (air-plants) were displayed in wooden frames with wire-netting inserts which anchored long strands of Irish moss and variations of the spiky little plants. We saw other versions elsewhere. They were so innovative and yet of such simple construction. How many of us thought, ”I could do that”? Lots of bright New Guinea impatiens grew around the shady side of the house. A big Acacia Limelight, an enormous nandina and a Mexican grass tree that must have been many years old caught the eye as we wandered through what turned out to be a very extensive planted area.

Some attractive, red flowering Alberta magna trees lined a rock- edged path around a big pond. Carex grasses grew all around the rim of the pond, drooping right down close to the water, eliminating what can be a difficult area to keep tidy, and a dragonfly with bright green eyes showed off his hovering skills. A magnificent dry-stone wall, 1 ½ metres high, formed a long, roadside boundary. It was in immaculate condition, and had obviously been restored by a craftsman. The same craftsman, probably our genial host, had converted an old garage into a stunning little cowshed that you would swear was an ancient part of the property. Made of old totara, it had a little triangular yard, and what appeared to be a bullock yoke on the wall. At this stage numerous stragglers were running for the bus, thinking they would have to come back again to see all the things they had missed. It was a dramatic garden, where enthusiasm and practical skills had created so many interesting little places to exclaim over. A garden to remember and talk about for a long time.

Our next stop was at the Whangarei Quarry Gardens. Bill boards detailing the history and climate of the gardens told us that the area was a Hardy’s quarry that worked from 1944 until 1974. In 1974 it flooded, ceased operating, and was donated to the City Council. Abandoned for 20 years, it became a dump for old cars and anything else you could think of. However in 1990 an enthusiastic band of volunteers began the mammoth task of cleaning it up. Local contractors helped with heavy machinery, and some years later planting began. The rainfall was a generous 1500-2000 mm per year, and stored heat from the rock surrounds, which also afforded excellent shelter,

provided all the requirements for successful sub-tropical growth. The first plant we saw was not, as we supposed, a Dammeropsis ( New Guinea fig), but a Ficus auriculata (elephant’s ear fig) that had huge, almost grotesque fruit growing straight out of the trunk. We came across a labelled New Guinea fig later, and it certainly was different, although still with the same enormous leaves. A brugmansia drooped its beautiful pink blooms, with a bright yellow one close by. They would have revelled in the warm temperatures. Red begonias, bromeliads and Monstera deliciosa ( fruit salad plants) grew at the base of high, high rock walls, and the remains of concrete structures reminded us of the quarry’s origins. A lonely little swan plant grew high up in what seemed solid rock but it must have found a niche somehow. Cycads and enormous philodendrons grew with gay abandon, and a fierce looking Ceiba speciosa (silk floss tree) with its studded thorns all over the trunk said, “Keep away!” The leaves of Ficus Black Prince (black rubber tree) shone in the sunshine, and red Queen Victoria lobelias were planted in big swathes. Stern notices told us not to pick the flowers of a Plumeria (tropical frangipani) or the baby bananas, (so we didn’t,) and a lovely pink mandevilla spilled its blossom over a wall. Access to the lake and its planting was for the adventurous only, probably resulting in wet feet, so most of us just admired from a safe distance. It certainly looked interesting. Altogether it was an impressive place, a tribute to Whangarei’s gardener volunteers.

Our last stop was the Whangarei Fernery. Established in 1987, it was a joint project between the Whangarei District Council and the Whangarei Native Forest and Bird Protection Society. Containing one of the largest collections of New Zealand native ferns, it had three shade houses, a tunnel, and a special house for a collection of filmy ferns. As the name suggests filmy ferns have fine, divided, often translucent

leaves. This house was air-conditioned, and was misted twice a day to give these delicate ferns their particular requirements. It was a quiet, gentle place of old, blackened timbers, where the sound of splashing water was never far away. The variety of ferns was bewildering, but there were some we could recognize. Hen and chicken ferns, maidenhair, and kidney ferns were familiar. Such places, while not spectacular, are important for the preservation of New Zealand flora.

Chatham Islands Trip

Photo credit: teara.govt.nz

On Friday 15th March a few friends from the garden club went to the Chatham Islands for a week. What a wonderful week! We were part of a tour group of about thirty, staying in the Hotel Chatham, an old but comfortable building on the sea front. If you like seafood, enjoy natural, unspoiled surroundings, and can live with a bus that has seen better days, then this is the place for you. Blue cod, cooked a different way every night except the night crayfish was on the menu (a whole one each. How to deal with all those legs and feelers?) paua, tuatuas . . . A lime and lemonade was a problem as they had run out of lemonade and the boat was not due for a few days, but how exciting to watch when it actually arrived and began to unload. Eight weeks between visits and no dairy around the corner. We quickly understood why it was all so expensive when we discovered that milk was $9 for two litres. However, to experience such a remote, unsophisticated and yes, slightly rundown part of New Zealand was something quite different, and an eye-opener for many of us.

Every day our faithful bus and so, so entertaining guide took us to see something different. We became very familiar with the same, dusty roads as we criss-crossed the island, branching off across a farmer’s paddock to see a spectacular seal colony, or a 150 year old stone cottage miles from anywhere where amazing 65 year old Helen lives by herself, or long ago escaped emus looking like dinosaurs as they grazed placidly in the peat swamps. Moriori

history was important, and we were taken to see huge, 150 year old karaka trees with carvings on the trunks. They depicted Moriori ancestors and symbols from nature. It was a sacred place, and we talked quietly and didn’t venture off the path. Fund raising throughout all of New Zealand had resulted in a beautiful, new building on their marae, and we were treated to a talk from a passionate, knowledgeable archaeologist. She had Moriori family connections, and was researching their history and their place on the island. We were mystified by the big leaves on familiar plants like kawakawa and karaka until we were told that because of the low sunshine hours (we hardly saw the sun the whole time; a blessed relief for drought stricken Aucklanders) the plants needed bigger leaves so they could photosynthesise properly. Gardens were not a high priority as the soil was 80% peat swamp. Maybe North Shore clay isn’t so bad after all. However we did get to see the one beautiful garden that was celebrated all over the island. Combined with a stunning, modern house and a superb dinner, it was a memorable farewell to a unique part of our country.

Chelsea Sugar Works Tour

We all arrived safely after embarking on a very complicated routine for the day involving carpooling, and two different lunchtime and tour timetables. The road down the hill to the site wound through pleasant parkland of grass and big trees, passing the three heritage duplex houses that were originally built in 1909 for Chelsea tradesmen and their families. The factory buildings are very different from how they were ten years ago. Now they are all painted salmon pink with contrasting window frames, and surrounded by attractive lawns and gardens. It is a beautiful setting, on the shores of the harbour, with lakes and dams, and the accompanying bird life. We were divided into two groups with half having lunch in the café, while the other half went on the tour of the factory, and then changing over. There was a bit of spare time for us before lunch, so we watched one of the three finalist cakes for the Seven Sharp Rugby World Cup competition

being iced. Those who watched Seven Sharp the next night would have seen that it came second. We also saw Hilary Barry in the flesh, presumably coming to offer moral support to the bakers. A wonderful place to take grandchildren if you ever have an hour or so to fill, is the interactive zone, where you learn how to bake a cake. It was hilarious, although we were occasionally a bit slow to work out what you had to do. It would be a breeze for a five year old. After a delicious lunch, we began our tour of the factory. Decked out in pink protective gear, right down to the pink hard hat, we climbed into a little train (keep your elbows inside, Peter) and chugged past a derelict wharf with enormous old loading buckets. A high, high shed held a mountainous 40,000 tonnes of the raw, uncleaned sugar product.

Photo credit: Chelsea.co.nz

Disembarking from our train we climbed a few of the advertised 180 stairs. While that sounds intimidating it wasn’t at all. They were only a few at a time, with lots of stops in between. Our guide was really interesting. He took tours up to six times daily, but seemed to be able to retain his enthusiasm and fresh approach all day. We discovered he was an actor, so that helped to explain why he was so good. For the rest of the time, we followed the pink line on the floor, learning about the numerous cleaning processes, which seemed very complicated. Heat was used to keep the sugar in a liquid state as it went through the various procedures. The different sorts of sugar were isolated during this time, and we learned that they all have the same constituents, none being any healthier than ordinary white sugar. It was an impressive, well thought out tour that held our interest right till the end. Thank you, Owen S. for your efforts in putting together what was a masterpiece of organisation.

Fern Glen Fern Glen Native Plant Gardens were created by Muriel and Bill Fisher in the nineteen fifties and

sixties. The five hectares of land were bought by the Fisher family in 1888, and this is where Muriel and Bill established their native plant nursery. They were passionate about NZ native plants, and Muriel wrote “Gardening with New Zealand Plants and Trees” to show New Zealanders how it was done. They had 700 different native species in their garden, some of them rare and unusual. After Bill’s death in 1987, the gardens were acquired by the North Shore City Council. An educational facility has been installed, and the gardens have become an important learning tool for local schools.

Photo credit: http://fernglengardens.nz/

The day of our visit was hot and sunny, and the seventy year old trees provided us with welcome shade. The steep slopes and little gullies were thickly covered with luxuriant native bush. The paths were well metalled and sign-posted, although there was some confusion where tracks were closed for kauri die-back, and the way back to the car-park was amended. Many nikaus and pongas stood out as features, and unfamiliar ferns were everywhere. At one point, above a particularly steep slope, there was a spectacular view of the surrounding country-side. What was the land like before they began? Was it pasture, scrub or basic bush? The steep nature of the terrain would not have made for easy planting, and it is a sobering thought that

they laboured for twenty years, getting older all the time, to create such a beautiful place. Pockets of mature native bush like this, in the middle of the city, are very special.

NOTICES

All photos without credits noted alongside in this newsletter are provided with many thanks to

Mary Logan

June Meeting: Coatesville Hall

11 am

Photographic Competition Bumper Trade Table

22nd Birthday BYO Lunch

BaP Competition: Bloom Raffle

Wild Wood Working Bee

3rd Sunday of each Month

Next one: 16th June 9 am

Bring suitable tools for weeding and planting