This Australian bottlebrush at Hollards put on a real Christmas show.
Colourful treats
By Sandy Powell
I had been living in hope that the pohutukawa trees at Hollards would still cheer us with their Christmas blooms, despite enduring the the snowfalls of 2011.
Unfortunately hope wasn't enough and they are merely beginning to grow themselves another canopy of leaves after being severely frosted in July.
As I was hunting around the garden thinking that surely one tree had not succumbed to the snow, I glimpsed a hint of pohutukawa red at the far end of a garden bed. Excitedly rushing to get closer, I soon realised I had been tricked. What I thought was a pohutukawa actually turned out to be a Callistemon (Australian bottlebrush).
I‘d previously not cared much for these plants, but now I’ve changed my mind. Generally thought of as only marginally frost tolerant, these bad boys are obviously tough as boots after living through a few cold winters at Hollard Gardens, and were still able to put on a spectacular festive flower show even after all that snow. Definitely a tree or shrub worth having if you struggle to grow pohutukawa.
Another great festive tree here is 'Abies delavayi', the self-decorated Christmas tree. You must come to Hollards to see this beauty. It has the most amazing cones – about 10cm long, barrel-shaped and a dark blue-purple colour. The tree itself keeps a lovely conical shape and being a fir it loves the cold – just perfect for those Taranaki winters.
The cones will be on the tree for a while yet, so be sure not to miss seeing it this summer, along with all the other gorgeous summer treats you will discover at Hollards.
Photo: The amazing cones of 'Abies delavayi'
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Sandy Powell (left) is Senior Gardener - Hollard Gardens for the Taranaki Regional Council. This column was published in the Taranaki Daily News on 13 January 2012. |
