Re: Kiwis, Plants & People, Native & Adopted

Tim Longville wrote:
> 
> One query, one bit of info.
> 
> Query: I've just been (re-)reading Mrs Martineau's GARDENING IN SUNNY
> LANDS (1924) - basically the S. of France but also with quite a bit of
> info derived from Californian gardens then and with quite a lot of
> Australian and NZ plants discussed. One of the plants she mentions is
> a shrub called Aotus gracilicum. She claims it as a NZ native and says
> it has 'long orange spikes' of flowers and is 'very striking.' It
> doesn't figure in any of my books and doesn't seem to be grown in any
> UK gardens. Anyone able to offer any info about it?

Hi Tim

I don't think that in 1924 people made any real distinction between Oz
and NZ and this didn't at all sound to me like an NZ shrub. However, I
checked my local flora just to be sure and found nothing as I had
expected.

However, when I looked in my Australian Wildflower Catalogue, I soon
came across Aotus, of which it says there are 15 species all endemic and
some occurring throughout the country. They belong to the Fabiaceae and
it says the fast-growing plants produce a profusion of yellow flowers in
spring described as "a lovely addition to the wildflower garden".

They only describe one species in detail - A lanigera, which sounds very
showy and which they say tolerates protected coastal conditions and
light frosts. 

Propagation by seed which germinates readily after boiling water
treatment. Never seen Aotus here, perhaps some Australian member could
oblige with seed.

> 
> Info: Kiwis, human, native and (particularly) adopted may like to know
> that Jo Monro, originally from Lancashire UK but for many years a
> naturalized New Zealander, with 40 acres of garden at Moss Green,
> Upper Hutt, is having her 'gardening autobiography' serialised in the
> UK gardening magazine, Hortus. First installment in the Spring 99
> issue makes fascinating reading.

Thanks for this info. I have visited Moss Green gardens on a couple of
occasions (they are about 30K north of Wainui) and also met the Munros
when they were lecturing for the  NZ Institute of Horticulture. They are
both very nice people and very knowledgeable and skillful gardeners.

It's no wonder the Gardens are mossy. They are in the foothills of the
Tararua range and seem to be enveloped in misty rain for a large part of
the year! It is always wise to take a parka when visiting.

Hope you are surviving nature's latest assault. After a prolonged and
very warm Indian summer,the temperature here has at last dropped
noticeably and we had a smidgen of frost a couple of days ago, which is
entirely seasonable.

Cheers 

Moira
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, 
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
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