Sister city connections Plant lovers want Seattle to have native N.Z. garden

Press, 10 March 1988, Page 10

Sister city connections Plant lovers want Seattle to have native N.Z. garden

Thelma Strongman meets two visitors from Seattle who have a special interest in the way plants can | benefit people.

Thelma; Strongman

People and their gardens!

Na rive; N.Z. plants in Seattle

Two interesting visitors in Christchurch last week, members! of the Mayor's delegation from the sister city of Seattle, were Cheri Singer and her husband. Dr jimothy Hohn. Dr Hohn is curator of nlam I collections at

Seattle’s Centrd for Urban Horticulture a: the University of Washington. The Christchjrch sistercity committee in Seattle has asked him to seek out New Zealand plants which will grow and thrive in Seattle’s colder climatic range. A special living display of ! our native plants in the iCentre, to be

both enjoyed by the people of Seattle and transplanted New Zealanders is planned. It will also be used for educational purposes at the university. And, of course, it will emphasise the ties between Seattle and Christchurch. i i While in Christchurch, Dr Hohn hoped to meet

with D.S.I.R. botanists, nurserymen, professional and amateur horticulturalists alike to j discuss plans and 1 collect opinions and advice. : Dr Hohn belieyes his research shows that plant communities of th'e upper regions jof tiie| South Island beech forests might well be the most suitable for Seattle conditions. One difficulty! is that the rain in Seattle comes mostly in winter. ! j Several small) specimens of jnothofagus, phyllocladus.i hebes and flaxes are already growing in the university aijboretum, which gives some indication of viability.l A sizeable cabbage tree which grew well for several years was [suddenly cut down when j temperatures fell to below 12 deg. C in one of the [phases of very cold weatljer which seem ) to | visit Seattle every few years. Dr Hohn is [optimistic that he will be able to establish a display with major plantings; of mountain beech and associated flora arranged ! to depict the border between subalpine | forest and scrubland. When the framework is established, there are plans to Experiment with more "showy” plants such as the k'owhai and southern rata. ! When decisions have been made about suitable plants,' Dr Hohn considers that ideally they should be imported into Seattle as small trees with the rootball and surrounding native! soil left intact, as some New Zealand native plants have a symbiotic relationship with special microrhiza in the soil. However, United States regulations, like those in New Zealand, permit only bare-rooted plants to enter [the country to prevent .the occurrance of soil-borne diseases. But bare-rooted plants would not survive the journey. If no direct solution is possible, the display will have, to be grown from ' rsz-1 i it will tAVcP A

few years for its full impact to be felt. Dr Hohn and his staff at the Centre for Urban Horticulture, and both sister-city committees, are determined that he shall succeed fin bringing something of the flavour of New Zealand plant life to Seattle.

Garden therapy Cheri Singer has been involved for some time in horticulture ' therapy, which in the United States is sometimes used in the treatment for Both mentally and physically handicapped people, j Research suggests that access to nature may improve their quality of life, ■ and help alleviate stress.) As well as [the emotional impact of! caring for a living thing,! gardening for the handicapped provides physical! exercise and can develop new skills, particularly social skills. Physical! and mental disabilities, however, may limit access to gardens for those (Who might benefit most, i including hospital patients, the frail elderly and stroke victims. !

Cheri Singer has recently designed a garden for people suffering from

Alzheimer's disease. In her design she made the garden flow easily from one place to another, eliminating choice points which people suffering from the disease find difficulty coping with. She also allowed for many

people suffering from this disease having a j greater preference for subtle colours.

Physical handicaps are catered for by i having paths suitable for wheelchairs, ramps, raised planters, etc.

Our Seattle connection It is surprising just how many of our native plants suitable for the garden are derived from the native flora of the northwest Pacific Rijn area around Seattle. Here are just a few: • Trees Pacific flowering dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) | Madrone (Arbutus menziesii) Numerous conifers such as Douglas Fir or “Oregon” and Lawson Cypress, sometimes grown but really too large for our gardens unless trimmed as a hedge. • Shrubs i Red flowering current (Ribes sanguineum) Geanothus Amelanchier Silk tassel bush (Garrya eliptica) Western azealea (Rhododendron occidentale) Potentilla fruticosa • Herbaceous and bulbs I Bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa) Shooting stars (Dodecatheon pauciflorum) Iris innominata Lewisia Pentstemon Aquilegia formosa Trillium ovatum Public gardens to visit in Seattle

1(1) Washington Park ar-

boretum and Japanese garden. j| (2) The Rhododendron Species Foundation Garden (24 miles out on interstate highway 5). (3) Carl S.(English Gardens (Government Locks). (4) Gardens of the Bloedel estate, Bainbridge Island (special appointment needed). (5) City-wide system of parks of different characters linkeil by boulevards and[ [designed by firm of Olnjstead, which designed Central Park New York. ) | (6) Waterfall Garden in downtown Seattle.