After Lockdown - Taranaki ...
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May 2020 VOLUME 67 NO.2
Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust Inc.
NEWSLETTER
www.pukeiti.org.nz
After Lockdown
As for all of us, lockdown at Pukeiti
came quickly, requiring urgent
decisions. The gardens, like many,
had to shut to the public and staff
members were sent home.
Management understood, though,
that arrangements would have to
be made to tend the nursery and
Vireya House. Jeremy Murray,
employed as a temporary gardener,
volunteered to take up residence in
The Lodge studio unit and undertake
maintenance duties for the duration
of the lockdown. Pukeiti was his
bubble, shared with Graham and
Karen Chard, proprietors of the
Rainforest Café, who reside in the
accommodation above the Café.
Jeremy, an Australian, a qualified
landscape gardener who previously
operated a business in Sydney and more Metrosideros fulgens
recently tended resort gardens on on the security cameras. flowers of Metrosideros fulgens, scattered
Hayman Island, was well qualified for azalea flowers, white Luculia in the
The gardens reflecting the good work
the tasks ahead. His energy, great work Covered Walk, and in places carpets of
and settled warm weather look as
ethic and skills ensured that when the Parochetus in flower add to the joy of a
attractive as ever. The rhododendrons
Gardens opened in mid-May they still return visit to Pukeiti.
are well budded, harbingers of a
looked great. He was assisted from time The staff are back on duty; workman are
colourful spring; the birdsong joyous and
to time by Graham and Karen. The progressing the cycle track through the
weather was kind, but there were a few loud, no doubt, in part, the result of the
TRC predator control programme (there garden which will eventually reach the
surprises. It did not rain for ten days and coast at Oakura; the family hut on
much of the place needed irrigating, is even a sign on the roadside warning of
Pukeiti Hill is nearing completion; the
particularly the nursery, and at times the kiwis, which evidence indicated could be
Café is open again from 10am to 4pm
irrigation system was subject to back in the surrounding bush); the
Wednesday through to Sunday each
malfunction. Boy racers using the empty hydrangeas bronzed with antique
week. Your support would be appreciated.
Carrington Road as a race track, autumn flower colour, early camelias,
evidenced by black tyre marks, were wafts of scent from early Daphne bholua It is time for another visit.
discouraged by Graham focusing a torch flowers, flashes of orange-red rata Lynn Bublitz
Parochetus communis - Shamrock Pea
page 2
Board Member
A New Head Changes
Gardener Board Members Gordon Bailey and Doug
Thomson are both eligible for re-election.
Scott Denham has been appointed to Others interested should complete
this position and commenced duties nomination forms which can be obtained
the day of lockdown, having moved from the secretary at pukeiti@pukeiti.com.
from Auckland with his wife Amy, and Nominations need to be with the
set up home in New Plymouth. Unable secretary no later than August 31.
to physically take part in work he has
spent the time in lockdown learning a Membership
little of the history of Pukeiti and
planning ahead. In addition to his
Subscriptions
management duties as head gardener then spent the next eight years Subscription notices will be posted in
he will be responsible for maintenance travelling, visiting Sikkim, Nepal, and July. $40.00 per family. The small
and development of Zone 1: the lawn, Vietnam, centres of rhododendron increase was approved by last years AGM
The Lodge, café borders and the distribution, picking up the odd job here and will enable the Trust to further assist
Misty Knoll. and there. After landing in Auckland, the Rhododendron Conservation Project
he married Amy, and took up a position which has gained international attention.
He is a young man who was born and
of gardener at the Auckland Botanic
raised in South Hampshire in a gardening
orientated family. His father spent his
Gardens. While employed Scott To The Hoarders
lifetime working for the South Hampshire
successfully began Trade Certificate
qualifications. Recently he had and Archivists
Council as a gardener in the city parks.
responsibility for the South African A big thank you to all the members who
His sister is a florist. Scott initially had Section of the gardens. responded to this request. We have filled
no inclination to follow in his father’s
He is excited about his new job and the in most of the gaps. We also have some
footsteps. He completed a degree in
challenges he will confront and has the very interesting plant catalogues dating
Health and Fitness. He always had a
personality and drive to meet them. back well into the last century that will
desire to travel and after spending five
years working in the fitness world We welcome Scott to Pukeiti. help strengthen our case to the EPA.
Metrosideros fulgens Luculia pinceana
Climbing rata Luculia pinceana is a beautiful scented
Akakura shrub which flowers in late autumn-early
winter. Hence it is a picture at Pukeiti
One of the many joys of Pukeiti through now. There are four species of Luculia.
the winter months is the climbing rata.
These are L. grandiflora, L. gratissima, L.
These lovely red flowers are a sign that
pinceana and L. yunnanensis. The
possum control is working well, and the
previously described L. intermedia is now
display is better each year. Unfortunately,
regarded as a synonym for L. pinceana.
there is a pest that we do not have the
ability to control yet and that is myrtle L. pinceana comes from Nepal, India,
rust. Metrosideros being in the Myrtaceae China, Myanmar and Vietnam. It is found
family is susceptible to this and it has in forests or thickets on mountain slopes
been confirmed on M. fulgens. What we and stream sides in valleys from 600-
have yet to learn is how much of an effect 3000m.
the fungus will have on the rata. Two varieties of L. pinceana are commonly
Metrosideros fulgens is found in coastal available in New Zealand. L. ‘Fragrant
and lowland forest throughout New Cloud’ was selected by the late Os Blumhart.
Zealand except for Stewart Island. This is a deep pink coloured form. L.
‘Fragrant Pearl’ was grown by Glyn Church
Metrosideros is a genus of approximately
from seed he imported and then selected
50 species of trees, shrubs and vines
by Mark Jury from some seedlings Glyn
found in New Zealand and around the
had given him. It is a beautiful cream-
Pacific. Recent DNA analysis has shown
that the varieties found in French white form.
Polynesia, Hawaii and other Pacific islands Luculias are easily grown in a frost-free
are closely related to pohutakawa M. situation and are reasonably tough.
excelsa and have probably evolved from it. Pruning is after flowering.
Luculia pinceana
page 3
From the Members’ Rene had made a lovely punch and I
don’t think a glass of punch has ever
bubbles, meet up with friends– albeit
small groups – and go back to work,
Committee tasted so nice as it did after that tramp. even if we’re not ‘essential’ workers.
The nibbles were pretty good as well.
Phew! What a start Everyone was sitting around and
There are good signs that NZ may have
dodged the bullet and avoided a major
to the year... chatting about their different walks as
well as all the things they had planned
corona virus outbreak. The Washington
Post rather optimistically reported a
The Pukeiti Members’ year got for the year including, for some, the few weeks ago that NZ hasn’t just
started on Saturday February 15 Members’ English Garden Trip that flattened the curve, it has smashed it.
with our ‘Drinks and Nibbles in the Graham Smith had organised for us. I’m not sure we can be quite that
Garden’ day. This year we started the The next function was ‘Revive the confident yet and we do still have to be
afternoon with guided walks. The Memories Day’ on February 27. With very careful. As I write this, social
weather was perfect, calm and warm more notice this year a good number of distancing between strangers and
but not too warm and not too sunny. our members in retirement villages plus between groups is still required and no
Rene took the short walk down to the some other long-standing members, groups greater than 10 are allowed. The
water wheel and was going to include who don’t very often get up to the number of cases being detected has
another area as well but, with the garden, had a very pleasant afternoon become very low but, whilst cases are
valued input of herself and other tea at The Lodge. The weather, again, being detected, there is a chance the
members, the walk to the water wheel was kind and everyone was able to join numbers will escalate again. The
filled all the time available. Two one of the guided tours of the garden responsibility is on us to do our best to
highlights of the walk were seeing a that Lara took for us. As the Committee stop this happening. As Dr Ahmed
clump of the native orchid, Earina members were cleaning up the Ouma, Deputy Director of the African
autumnalis, in full flower just above conversation turned to this virus that CDC so aptly stated “In the absence of a
head height on the Tree Top Walkway was then still being reported as only vaccine, we are the vaccine. Our
and seeing Brachyglottis turneri really affecting Wuhan. Opinion ranged behaviour can stop the virus dead in its
alongside the waterwheel path. For from it being a bit of an overreaction, to tracks.” Because of the situation being
many on the walk this was the first time a new virus for which we have no as it still is, we have reluctantly decided
they had seen this native perennial herb vaccine and no natural immunity which
which has been introduced to Pukeiti was a bit of a worry. None of us though
and is not local to the site. The bright had sufficiently creative imaginations to
yellow daisy-like flowers were beacons even start to conceive what was about
of colour which immediately drew the to unfold around the world and at
members’ attention. home. We were still planning to have a
large group helping to pack up the plant
Heather, Gary and Angela set off
orders and having our Autumn Members’
leading the longer walk in the direction
Day as per schedule up at The Lodge.
of the new Family Hut which is situated
just off the Conservation Track, near Fast forward three weeks and the Board
the junction with the Saxton Track. It Meeting was cancelled, The Autumn
Tomtit - A Pukeiti visitor
was a pleasant walk along the Loop Members’ Day was cancelled and the
Track and Conservation Track to the Members’ Garden Trip to England was
we should cancel the Mid-Winter Lunch
hut although with frequent stops we did also cancelled. Shortly after this the
scheduled for June 20. Who would ever
end up running a little behind time. At government started recommending
have thought that less than two years
the hut we stopped and topped up with limits on personal movement and social
after regaining access to The Lodge we
fluid and snacks. As it was still a distancing. It was decided at short
would again be in a situation where we
building site, we were not able to enter notice that only three of us would
can’t have functions there? Rest assured
the hut, but we did admire the location process the plant orders and at
however, as soon as we are able to
chosen for this facility. The group then midnight the day the courier picked up
socialise safely in larger groups, the
split into two with one half returning the orders, NZ went into Alert Level 4.
committee will organise a celebration
the same way we came. The other half The weeks spent in Level 4 and Level 3 up at The Lodge so we can all get
went by a more scenic route, through will have impacted all our members but together again. If it is close to an already
lovely bush which did end up being the some more than others. Some members scheduled Members’ Day, we will just
longer way and quite strenuous for have had to cancel family weddings and repurpose that day. If not, we will
some of the participants. At the end of other significant celebrations. Others endeavour to organise a special event
the day however, the group had a real have had to farewell a partner or other and will notify members via e-mail or
feeling of achievement having walked family member from a distance and phone.
over 7km along undulating tracks and without the physical support of other
few would have had difficulty sleeping In the meantime, I’m going to have a
members of the family and their friends.
that night! One of the trampers was a positive outlook and assume that by the
All members will have been impacted to
few days short of their 89th birthday! A end of June we will be back to Alert
a greater or lesser extent by the financial
big thank you to all members of the Level 1 and that all the planned events
repercussions of the lockdown and by
group who stepped up to help others. for the rest of the year will be able to
the closing of the borders. We are now
proceed as scheduled. We hope to see
When we got back to The Lodge there in Level 2 with many more freedoms. It
was an atmosphere of warmth and you at them.
feels like spring, signs of life have returned
conviviality that was almost tangible. to the community. We can burst our Heather Robson
Plant
Page List
4 continued PAGE 4
Please mark
these dates on
your calendar
Members’ Activities
2020
ACTIVITIES
Volunteering
Propagation Workshop in the Garden
Wednesday July 22. Meet in Propagation area 9:00am.
On any Wednesday that suits, meet up with the regular
Members, under Wendy’s supervision, will
Wednesday volunteers outside the staff quarters at 9:00 to
make cuttings and divide perennials for use in
help with the garden maintenance. Any help is very welcome.
the garden and for later Members’ Sales.
S A T U R D AY, AU G U S T 2 2
Soup & Roll Lunch Members’
A walk round the Large Leafed Rhododendrons
followed by a homely lunch in The Douglas Cook Room.
Committee Meetings
Tuesday, August 18 – 9:30am - The Lodge
Meet in The Lodge. Tea and Coffee will be available Tuesday, November 17 – 9:30am - The Lodge
from 10:00am. A guided walk around the Large
Leafed Rhododendrons will leave from The Lodge
at 10:30am. Craig will be available to take the less
mobile members on the Mobility Vehicle.
After the walk, soup and a roll will be
available in the Douglas Cook Room.
Board Meetings
The June meeting will be held as a Zoom
Meeting at a date to be finalised.
S U N D AY, S E P T E M B E R 27
Saturday, October 17 – 9:00am, Board Room, The Lodge
Garden Visits
A selection of Taranaki gardens will be open for
members to visit. Details in September’s Newsletter.
S A T U R D AY, O C T O B E R 17
Spring Members’
Day & AGM
Details later in the year.
F R I D AY O C T O B E R 3 0 –
S U N D AY, N OV E M B E R 0 8 Rhododendron
2020 Taranaki Conference, Timaru
Garden Festival P O S T P O N E D T O 2 0 21 , D A T E S A N D
DETAILS TO BE GIVEN L ATER
Volunteers needed for hosting in the Lodge
and membership recruitment. Bookings
S A T U R D AY, D E C E M B E R 1 2 for The Lodge facilities
End of Year BBQ and Studio can be made
RSVP Thursday, December 10.
on the TRC website
www.trc.govt.nz/gardens/venue-hire-and-tours/
pukeiti-studio-accommodation/
Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust Inc.
TARANAKI REGIONAL COUNCIL www.trc.govt.nz
Postal address: PO Box 1066
New Plymouth 4340 Office hours Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm Environmental hotline 0800 736 222
Location: 2290 Carrington Rd. RD4 Postal address Private Bag 713, Stratford 4352 Regional gardens regional.gardens@trc.govt.nz
www.pukeiti.org.nz Greg Rine Phone: (06) 765 7127
Location 47 Cloten Road, Stratford 4332
Secretary
Anne Howard
Phone 021 0831 5444
pukeiti@pukeiti.com
is worth a look! Phone 0800 736 222
Mobile: 027 240 2470
Andrew Brooker Phone: (06) 765 7127
(06) 765 7127
Chairperson Mobile 0210 264 4060
Gordon Bailey gordon.bailey@codc.govt.nz Email info@trc.govt.nz
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