From wilderness to splendour
Russell and Mary Matthews bought the property at 487 Mangorei Road in 1931 prior to their marriage. It was a wilderness of blackberry, gorse and bracken with one mahoe tree in the Dell (it died in 1974).
The first new tree – a kauri – was planted in 1932. It was given by Mary Matthews’ parents to celebrate Russell’s birthday on 26 July and was planted on Possum Walk in the North Garden. In the same year, the Tulip Tree was planted where the cows had always congregated, and where it thrived as a result, reportedly growing to 45 feet in height in just 12 years
It was the time of the Depression when labour was cheap and plentiful. For 18 months the Matthews employed men to clear gorse and blackberry through the ‘over the fence’ Depression relief scheme. They planted shelter trees, starting with eucalypts in 1933 at the suggestion of Victor Davies who advocated planting Australian trees on the site.
The eucalypts planted in the Dell grew too fast and had to be removed.
Rhododendrons and magnolias followed, many from Arthur Goudie (a New Plymouth nurseryman who had a long and influential association with Tupare) and George Huthnance (a New Plymouth nurseryman who imported rhododendrons from the United States).
Friend and New Plymouth nurseryman Fred Parker also had an association with Tupare’s planting. Many of the early maples planted came from a nursery in Christchurch.
Russell Matthews used his engineering skills to achieve the contoured walks, brick walls and concrete walls on what is a very steep property. The formation of the paths and driveway, and the construction of the garden architecture were carried out by Russell Matthews’ staff most often in winter when business was quieter.
Various parts of the garden are named after family members. Visitors can wander along John, Jill and Richard Walks, pause by Elizabeth Garden or stroll along Russell Avenue or Mary Lane.
Russell Matthews favoured rhododendron hybrids and they were much in vogue at the time. He especially loved the Loderis that are a feature of the Dell. He liked camellias, fuchsias, hydrangeas, kalmias, magnolias, deciduous trees, abutilons, the native shrubby gesneriad rhabdothamnus, and was proud of his native microlaena grass bank and the Heeria rosea banks on Mary Lane. He did not favour ground covers, preferring push hoes and – as Mary Matthews once pointed out – to see other people on their knees weeding.
Mary Matthews’ favourite flowers were cottage garden plants – daisies (especially), nasturtiums, granny bonnets, lily of the valley, forget-me-nots, buttercups, violets, larkspurs, delphiniums, mignonette and simple flowers whereas Russell Matthews liked the biggest, showiest blooms, rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas. Her favourites of the rhododendrons were the scented “Countess of Haddington” and “Fragrantissimum”.
