NATIVE TREES & SHRUBS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 8

NATIVE TREES & SHRUBS

VALUE AS ORNAMENTALS MANY FINE SPECIMENS PLEA FOR OREAPER USE The greater use ol' native trees, and shrubs for ornamental purposes was urged by -Mi'. G. T. .Maunder in ail address to the I’overty Bay Horticultural Society’s annual meeting last night. Tie said that, native varieties had been neglected for use as ornamental trees and shrubs, but they had great possibilities which still had to be recognised by many New Zealanders. Most preferred to use e.yotics for, their gardens, but it was time that the real worth of the native trees and shrubs was recognised. For the purpose of demonstrating to the meeting, lie had collected specimens of the foliage of some of the more common varieties growing in Gisborne. The general impression, he said, was that native trees and shrubs were slow growing, but all trees which were worth growing were slow and long lived. Few of our native plants were noted for their flowers, Mr. Maunder said, most of tile flowering plants having small and inconspicuous blooms, and possessed little attraction except for the botanist. One, however, which was attractive was the pohutukawa, and the rata was of similar form, though smaller. Rata vines also had brilliant flowers in season, and some could be found in the bush near Gisborne. Clematis was another flowering shrub, and also red kowliai. The red kowliai was now confined mainly to the garden. Yellow kowliai was another flowering shrub. THE DESPISED MANUKA Manuka was so common that it was looked upon by many with contempt, but to the speaker it was a fine shrub, which in some countries would be valued. The plant sometimes known as the marble leaf was covered with flower about November, and was common in the Gisborne district, with much in Longbush and other points. Veronicas, commonly called koromikos, were well known in New Zealand, and there were many varieties of them. The Chatham Islands veronicas were the largest in the world. Lace bark had several varieties, and were covered in white blossom in the autumn; it was common in the Gisborne district.

Many other varieties were to be found in the small clumps of bush near Gisborne, and could be easily established in favoured positions. Many of our ornamental plants compared more than favourably with those ol importations. The inalapo, for instance, had a coloured stem, with foliage wavy in appearance. Red beech made a good tree for cutting for ornamental purposes. Ramarama had shades of red and brown. These shrubs were well worth anyone’s attention, and would grow freely in the open. Most New Zealand native trees did not do well in the open, and did far better, in their natural surroundings away from the wind and the sun. White and black pines, though not attractive iti their younger stages, improved in appearance when mature.* That was true vvith many other varieties, and sometimes botanists had been confused because of the difference in the character of leaves when young and at maturity. The general principle in planting native trees was to provide plenty of shelter. Quick growing natives planted close together should be allowed to grow up before planting, in the spaces between, those which were more difficult to establish. FERNS AND ROCKERIES. The ferns of New Zealand were a feature of the country, and there was great room for them for ornamental purposes. No great progress had been made in this respect in the Gisborne district, where the hot, dry conditions were not suitable except by the expenditure of much money in creating the correct conditions. There were seme tine ferneries in New Zealand, the finest he knew being in New Plymouth, where it was situated in the corner of a hill, all the ferns being under glass. Even the most difficult of ferns to grow were thriving there. New Zealand was looked on as a land of ferns, and in some respects that was true. Some of the many varieties would grow under any conditions out in the open, but others must lie almost under the drip of a waterfall. The Prince of Wales’ fern was one of the well-known types, hut. it would die in a few hours if .moved from the heart of the bush. Some varieties, however, were exported to other countries, where they wore greatly appreciated. Many New Zealand plants, were suitable for rockery work, and in some parts of the country where there was more rain and less sun sncli plants would do very well.