Te Puna Quarry Park in Tauranga, New Zealand

[Lesley Cox]

Oh God, I thought I had managed to keep my warts a deep secret. You've outed me Bill.

The pink iris is I. ensata 'Rose Queen.' It is a selection from the wild and named (appropriately) for its delicate colour. A few years ago Parva Plants (also in Tauranga at that time) produced a pure white sport from it which was sold as 'Snow Queen,' one of the lovliest irises I ever saw. I've lost mine to drought unfortunately. I don't know if 'Snow Queen' originated with PP or whether they obtained it elsewhere but I hope it reappears some time.

[Lesley Cox]

I think the first pic is also I ensata, rather than laevigata, but one of the modern, "developed" forms.

[Lesley Cox]

Sorry, I can't seem to keep off the subject. Re I. pseudocorus, and yes Bill, it's yellow, I doubt if the powers who woud like to be would look favourably on its being planted in this quarry park. It is now a prohibited plant (not merely not permitted) both to import plants and seeds and to have on one's property, the reason being that it is a strong grower in water and has blocked many natural and man-made waterways on farms and elsewhere. Not only is IT prohibited but any hybrid with pseudocorus as one parent. Means we can't get the gorgeous "eye shadow" irises which the Japanese have developed and which are truly exquisite.

[Tecophilaea King]

Another spectacular plant in the park is the Doryanthes palmeri - the Giant Spear Lily! Growing to 12 feet tall, with massive, 11-foot flower stalks, this is one of the largest Lily relatives around. A native of eastern Australia. The big blooms are 5" long and are a brilliant red, attracting all sorts of birds. This is a slow-growing but very long-lived species. A colony can live 100 years or more.
In the right environment, it's an easy-to-grow plant - and an amazing conversation piece!

[Ewelina Wajgert]

I was speechless. What a beautiful orchids and oter plants!!! Everywhere green. 

[Lesley Cox]

The Doryanthes in Bill's pics say a lot about the Tauranga climate, compared, say, with Dunedin's. Tauranga has a relatively warm, often humid climate and plenty rain whereas ours is cold in winter and frosty, very dry in summer, often in spring and autumn as well. I grew Doryanthes palmeri from seed once and had it grow to maybe 30cms or so but not ever was it going to flower for me and eventually frost killed it. There is - or was -a magnificent stand in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens back in 2003, and it is used in motorway plantings going into Sydney from the west.

[Maggi Young]

.... some other forum links to these super plants:
 http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3180.msg85664;topicseen#msg85664
for the Australian Spear Lily Doryanthes palmeri and Doryanthes excelsa in Madeira  

and here for a species in Australia itself.......Doryanthes excelsa

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2357.msg61049#msg61049

[Tecophilaea King]

The Doryanthes in Bill's pics say a lot about the Tauranga climate, compared, say, with Dunedin's. Tauranga has a relatively warm, often humid climate and plenty rain whereas ours is cold in winter and frosty, very dry in summer, often in spring and autumn as well. I grew Doryanthes palmeri from seed once and had it grow to maybe 30cms or so but not ever was it going to flower for me and eventually frost killed it. There is - or was -a magnificent stand in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens back in 2003, and it is used in motorway plantings going into Sydney from the west.

Lesley, what nice things you say about Tauranga, you might have just scored yourself some extra brownie points, and will now send you the Tropaeolum seed I promised next Monday  

[Tecophilaea King]

.... some other forum links to these super plants:
 http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3180.msg85664;topicseen#msg85664
for the Australian Spear Lily Doryanthes palmeri and Doryanthes excelsa in Madeira  
and here for a species in Australia itself.......Doryanthes excelsa
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2357.msg61049#msg61049

Thanks Maggi for redirecting us to these super plants forum links.
I will keep an eye on this spectacular plant and if this Doryanthes palmeri hopefully will set seed, I will share it with the forum members.
Bill

[Tecophilaea King]

Another fascinating climber flowering in the Quarry Park at the moment is the tender climber from Mexico, Rhodochiton atrosanguineus.   Plants grow rapidly and, from mid-summer until early autumn, are studded with long dangling flowers resembling drop earrings. Each one is composed of a long, slender, purple-black tube growing out of a chalice-shaped mauve calyx. The plants are useful for covering trellis or arches, or adding interest to the bare base of other climbers. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).  New plants are easily raised from seed.
Rhodochiton atrosanguineus.

The second picture is another interesting plant, unfortunately I don't know the botanical name for. ID please? Thanks, Bill

[Tecophilaea King]

Beaucarnea recurvata, or Ponytail Palm, is native to Mexico. Beacarneas are closely related to Yuccas and thrive under the same conditions. Plants have dark green, grass-like leaves that are 2.5 cm wide by 2 m long.
They have swollen bases for water storage and can store water up to 1 year.
Plants in nature will reach about 10 m in height with a base about 4 m across.
In containers, they will only reach about 2.5 m in height.
They make an excellent houseplant while small if they are not over-watered.

[cohan]

lots of cool stuff! i esp like the bromeliads and c+s garden..

[Lesley Cox]

Not sure Bill but maybe your plant for ID is an Indigofera. Whatever, it's very nice.
The Rhodochiton is also a super thing, not fully hardy unfortunately and I've lost it a couple of times. It's not immediately obvious from your photo but chums of mine who grow it well, in a milder climate, know it as (forgive me Maggi,) penis plant from the deep red centre thing which opens at the tip as it matures. Maybe you could do a closeup of the flower Bill.

[Lesley Cox]

I'm happy to say good things about Tauranga Bill. My sister lives there.

[Ewelina Wajgert]

I show your photos in my family and they ran to the shop to looks for the orchids. My house is filled of Phalenopsis, Catleya and Cymbidium...