Beez Neez now Chy Whella

Quarry Garden

Big Bear and Pepe Millard

Mon 26 Jan 2015 23:47

Whangarei Quarry Garden Visit

We piled into Stan, Steve at the wheel, Bear pretending he knew where we were going, Chris and Brenda in the back with me fighting with the seat belt that became quite threatening to every inward breath - that said Stan and I made up later. We soon arrived at the Whangarei Quarry Garden, picnic bags in hand, donation in collection box. We followed the path and amongst the very first plants we saw was a brand new one to us. Elephants ear fig, Roxburghs fig or giant red fig. Native to India, these trees produce flowers and fruit from their woody trunks rather than from new growth and shoots. This allows trees to be pollinated or have their seeds dispersed by animals which cannot climb or fly.

Over the bridge, follow the intrepid, in fact just follow.

En route to find a picnic spot I bimbled along behind and happily found colourful bits and bobs.

Nice spot found to settle. It is a comedy watching people of a certain age lower themselves to the ground. Bear folded, creaked and landed on all fours. Chris knelt and then did a controlled spill. Steve and I went for the hands down and follow with body, so it was left to Brenda to show us how the spry, fit and ‘we don’t hate her’ do it........with grace and speed. Growls from the rest of us........

There is something quite special about the first picnic of the year. Filled and rejuvenated, speak for yourself, it was time to bimble toward the lake.

From here we could just make out a bench on the other side of the lake, our next stop.

From the quarry website - In the late 1940’s, Hardie Bros established a stone quarry at the Russell Road site and began producing aggregate for local roading projects. Following a severe flood in 1974, their quarry operations were moved to Otaika at the southern end of the city.

Winstone Aggregates Ltd, who took over the quarry, donated the 25 hectare site to the Whangarei District Council in 1976 to become part of the City's parks and reserves network. For nearly 20 years the site was used as a rubbish dump and exotic weed species, particularly gorse and pampas, started to take over.

In 1990, Laughton King approached the Whangarei District Council to negotiate the formation of a public garden on the site. In 1997, the Council purchased 2.5 hectares of adjoining land to form a link to the top north-west border. A group of enthusiasts - 'Friends of the Quarry Garden' - then began clearing the overgrown site.

A building was installed in 1998 to provide facilities for hard-working volunteers and this remains on the site today. In the same year, work began on a trust deed to form a Charitable Trust to develop the project.

Establishment of the Whangarei Quarry Garden Trust in 2000 allowed the council to pass responsibility for development of the Gardens to the members of the Trust. The challenge of clearing the site of rusting car bodies, hunks of concrete, noxious weeds and the like was met with determination, fortitude and good humour. Most significant in this was the inspirational effort contributed by many local contractors who donated machinery and hundreds of hours of skilled labour to the project.

The transformation of the site over the years has been truly amazing. Lush gardens now dominate the valley, with more areas of the former quarry being prepared for planting every year. As is the nature of gardens (especially those built by volunteers) the project is, and will always be, a work in progress. There is something new to see at Whangarei Quarry Gardens on every visit, and we welcome new volunteers with open arms. The next exciting phase in the Garden's development is the construction of a Visitor Centre and Cafe began in 2014.

With an annual rainfall of 1500-2000 mm per year and New Zealand's highest average temperatures, Northland possesses a truly subtropical climate. At Whangarei Quarry Gardens these climatic conditions, coupled with the sheltered and heat-radiating properties of a stone quarry, create an ideal microclimate for growing a plethora of native and exotic subtropical plants.

Perfect growing conditions aside, it has taken 16 years of sheer hard work and community dedication to grow Whangarei Quarry Gardens into their current form. The project has been a labour of love for the Northland community, created through the blood, sweat, and laughter of volunteers, supporting companies and other interest groups.

Brilliant, a massive ‘thank you’ to all those who have provided us with such a great day out.

It was smashing to bimble in the sunshine enjoying the plants and scenery.

The website not only shows the history of this amazing quarry but highlights some of the plants. Yet another new one to us was - Common name: Kapiak, dinner-plate fig, highland breadfruit. Fun facts: Our most talked-about plant at the Gardens! The round 'fruit' which can be seen year-round in Northland is in fact a special type of flower called a 'syconium'. These amazing trees need a specific wasp to pollinate them however, so we never see their mature fruit in NZ.

This lantern plant is a favourite of the monarch butterfly, the delicate flowers look very similar to the hoya bella.

Kangaroo Paw. Yet another new one on us – the tiny Anigozanthos is a small genus of Australian plants in the Bloodwort family Haemodoraceae.

The teeny flower – about 4mm across, I thought looked like bottom teeth.

On the next level up, organise chins and pose for a group shot..................

..............and enjoy the view.

Next was the arid garden, then Brenda led like a racing snake – we followed at a sedate pace, up a very steep, winding path to the very top.

Stan seemed a very long way from up here. Still, all downhill from here.

We managed the ‘senses garden’, then piled into Stan. A game of Mexican train dominos and a delicious supper aboard Scott-Free before boarding the bus for home.