Botanical gardens
Rimu, Putaputaweta(!), Kahikatea, Puka…
We dropped Kathy off for a children’s literature conference in Manukau, and Elena and I spent a few hours wandering the Auckland Botanical Gardens, getting to know the names of some of the herbaceous locals.
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- Ti kouka
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- coneflowers in the ‘edible garden’
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- Roof gardens
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- The visitor’s centre
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- Katote
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- Though this looks a bit non-descript, you can’t beat the name of the Putaputaweta.
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- The fern…symbol of New Zealand
These plants are /all over/. Here in the ABG I find that these are ‘flax’; actually New Zealand flax–specimens of Phormium–which are unrelated to northern hemisphere flax. They were cultivated by both westerners and Maori for their long fibers.
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- Phormium ‘Ngaro’ leaves that are quite stiff.
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- Harakeke with more grass-like leaves
Mostly succulents…
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- A tui bird, according to a passer by
In the palm garden…
More photos than you can shake a stick at from the ABG in addition to these.