NATIVE SHRURS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18678, 7 April 1924, Page 5

NATIVE SHRURS.

A SUGGESTED COPSE. SCHEME FOR PARK. USE. Mr. J. H. Hudson-writes: —I heartily ; sympathise with your oomspondents who urge the use of native shrubs in parks 4 and public . gardens. But soma practical suggestions may be of use, for I think many/ local bodies Christchurch . and Timaru—have fallen in' on the choice of V species. May I venture to detail a few ' that will givs greater charm and beauty ? i First, if the soil , is, or can readily be made, of a loamy nature, I would list the New Zealand fuchsia, the poporo, • the tutu, and the red kowhai. . These " should be raised in pots an 'a {greenhouse and set out as' yearlings in the proposed copse. They are naturally beau- - v tiful seedlings, with large, shapely leaves. The silvery reverse of the ■ f achate; contrasted with the dark green of the poporo arid the" tutu, and the light green compound loaf of the red kowhai, will make a bed of a dozen of each, interspersed, , a delight .to tho eye. Six months after planting ; out, the ■. poporo and '• the red kowhai will be: in; bloom if well' 'done, and the bed will then give excellent subjects in form arid colour for students of f painting' and drawing. ' They will grow all over New Zealand, and being largeleaved, produce much S leaf-momd, S for which reason they should be encouraged as soil-makers., With 'a nurse-(bed of these established, specimens of the pains lily, the ; beautiful !mahoe, with its while !• ban.:; and definitely; tinted green» shapely leavirs, of the karaka, with' glistening - deep green leaves and golden bunches :■ of fruit, • and of the aka-puka, may ; be added. ■ As tho : copse: develops Granges will■ oomo,. Red kowh*i and popoiro>are relatively short-lived, and tutu tends to die back an winter, making great . strong shoots in spring. They can only be maintained in the margin after ten years,i and must be clipped there to keep a close' cover. In the centre, pruning and thini ning, • removing ■: superfluous branches arid I plants to prevent overtopping, and - replanting with a few rewarewa and kowhai- will now ;be in order, and some of the native 1 climbing plants, as ptiawhananga, our " beautiful tar-flowered cJenxatfo kiekie, the (native pandanus,' with blooms like an edible white magnolia, and the 1 £aiku,: i akin to both oleander , arid periwinkle, but more 1 resembling .a, very fioriffirous and fragrant jasmine, sometimes called tie bush jas- 1 mine, should be added. At 15 years the copse should appear as a close-covered 'dome; of vegetation, except where pierced by a winding access to seats at the centre dome which, under good management, should lift itself upward by ono or two feet a year.. It will now be time to introduce mosses to the forks of the more arborescent . ' species, with a view to making some harbourage for the r£mflrk4bl<J native . epiphytes. Moss makes a hold-tali for dust «nd: decaying leaves and ; moistuw, and, K once X established, it should be possible", to make thrive in it the beautiful scented orchis, the graceful pendant lycopod,v and, even the rata vine. : ,:If now, in the margin, wo add the beautiful lily of Aorangi. the Hengarenga and the , Chatham Island forget-me-not, our grove may fairly challenge comparison..,' But remember that, though all the plant* are charming, or artistic, or of some economic nse, yet it is essentially a park selection; requiring good soil .and trained management. Stock would destroy it in' a night. < f ' 1