Re: Inspiration from Off-season visits to Botanical Gardens

david feix wrote:
> 
> Do other designers get new inspiration from seeing
> unfamiliar plants out of season, and feel challenged
> to change their typical plant pallette?  I know I am
> feeling this way after two recent visits,(late January
> and again in mid February), to the Arboretum at the
> University of California Santa Cruz campus.  I have
> always been intrigued by all the winter blooming
> species in the Proteacea family from South Africa and
> Australia, but at this time of year in the more
> temperate coastal areas of California, these are
> visual knockouts.  Even the wildlife has been
> similarly influenced, as many of the hummingbirds have
> sufficient nectar sources from all the Grevilleas to
> avoid their usual southern migration, and the local
> Monarch butterflies flock to the Eucalyptus tree
> groves in the area.

Hi David
The South African Proteaceae at least are very much bird plants in their
native home also. The ones which visit them there are I think sunbirds,
like we used to get in East Africa. They are not nearly as small as 
hummingbirds, being closer to sparrow size and there are several kinds
with most beautiful jewelled colours in their plumage.

Here in NZ our two nectar feeders have also taken to imported Proteas
with enthusiasm -the Bellbird which is smallish and rich green and the
Tui which is much larger and a rich deep metallic blue. The Tui is great
to watch, he is such a vigorous creature, I think he could best  be
described as "rollicking". Apart from his distinctive colour he is
further distinguished by a small tuft of white feathers under his chin
which has given him the nickname of parson bird because of the
resemblence of the tuft to Geneva Bands. He is a wonderful singer in his
own right but also a clever mimic. Some individulals have quite an
extensive repertoir not just imitating other birds but occasionally
mechanical sounds and even cats!

In passing I should also mention that  the whole Protea family
(Including the edible macadamia nut from Queensland) is very much at
home in all but the coldst parts of NZ and particularly good in castal
situations where they are sometimes grown in quantity for the florists
trade. I have a couple of beautiful bushes (PP cynaroides and aristata)
in my own garden.

We do have a native member of the Family here anyway, the Rewarewa
(Knightia excelsa), a quite tall narrow tree which is typically common
in  regenerating forest where its distinctive rather spear-like form
makes it stand out amid smaller and lumpier vegetation.  it has
rusty-red flowers in a "bottlebrush" formtion.

Moira
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan
Wainuiomata NZ, 
where it's Summer in January and Winter in July.
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