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Plant Collector: Acer Senkaki or A. 'Sango-kaku'
Acer Senkaki, as it is commonly referred to in NZ These vibrant red branches belong to what is commonly known as Acer Senkaki, or the coral-bark maple. I will go with Britain’s Royal Horticultural...
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Plant Collector: Ananas sagenaria
Ananas sagenaria – hardier than a tropical pineapple My photograph of a ripe pineapple attracted considerable comment last week and I am pleased to report that it was tasty and sweeter than usual when...
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Plant Collector: Kalmia latifolia “Nipmuck”
Kalmia latifolia “Nipmuck” Just when all the spring flowering trees and shrubs have passed over and we move into early summer, the kalmias open. They look as if they belong in the spring group and they...
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Plant Collector: Cardiocrinum giganteum
The three metre flower spike of Cardiocrinum giganteum – worth the wait of up to 7 years to bloom If any bulb were to be the king or queen of wow, it is this giant Himalayan lily in full bloom. That is...
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Plant Collector: Hydrangea indochinensis
Hydrangea indochinenis – an evergreen lacecap The vast majority of hydrangeas are deciduous and not many people realise there are a few evergreen ones. H. indochinensis a relatively recent introduction...
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Plant Collector: Hydrangea serrata “Preziosa”
Hydrangea “Preziosa” – generally colour stable in all soil conditions. In the world of summer flowering shrubs, hydrangeas are surely king. There are many others beyond the common macrophylla types and...
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Plant collector: Eryngium planum
The hazy blue of Eryngium planum I thought it was going to be easy to write up eryngiums but it transpires that there are a whole lot of different ones from various habitats and climates. So I will...
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Plant Collector: blandfordia (February bells here)
Blandfordia – Australia’s Christmas bells Christmas bells is the common name. Apparently in their homelands of Australia, these bulbs flower around Christmas. They are somewhat later here but the...
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Better in theory than practice – planting street berms in edibles
Street plantings of orange trees in Cordoba I have been following with some interest the debate about Auckland’s road berms and the transfer of mowing responsibilities to the closest house occupants. I...
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Plant Collector: Strelitzia reginae
Strelitzia reginae or the bird of paradise Is there anything more exotic, more tropical in appearance than the bird of paradise plant? In fact it is native to South Africa which is not the usual...
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