Oasis in a sea of brown
Plants are like people: some of them like the heat and some don’t.
And it’s beginning to show at Waikato’s most well-known garden, according to Hamilton Gardens operations manager Gus Flower.
‘‘My recollection of last year was that we had hot weather, but were saved by some good downpours.’’
Flower and his team of gardeners and groundspeople are responsible for the overall wellbeing and maintenance of the gardens. So far the heat, and lack of rain, has made for hard work. It really takes a sustained, steady downpour to absorb into a garden – not simply a light sprinkle, Flower said.
‘‘Plants will soon tell you when they are starting to stress.’’
We walk past ferns lining the entrance of the gardens, a few are brown and crisp from the sun.
Flower goes on to point out a patch of ajugas, where some discolouration is occurring.
‘‘They are tough plants, but their lush leaves are also susceptible to the scorch of the sun,’’ Flower said.
Despite the dryness, the gardens is not subject to the same watering restrictions occurring across the city because it is a commercial operation.
Council consent ensures water can be sourced from the river. This runs to the garden’s main pump station through a pipe, and is then distributed out to the garden.
All watering is set on a timing system and generally occurs early in the morning and late at night.
A team of 21 gardeners is in place, each has their own garden to look out for.
‘‘Each gardener develops a bond with their garden. They really get to know it inside out, and soon notice when something is not right.’’
In particularly tough conditions, knowing which plants to save and which to let die is essential, Flower said.
The Katherine Mansfield Garden lawn, which opened to the public in November last year, has already dried out. It is most likely unsalvageable, Flower said.
Heat and steady pedestrian traffic has caused it to brown, he said.
‘‘Grass suffers the most, and is usually the first thing to go in the heat.’’
Maintaining bedding in a garden like the Indian Char Bagh throughout the summer is also a challenge.
The garden is filled with a colourful array of flowers, such as maroon salvias and bright orange tagetes. It will require dead heading – cutting off dead material and replanting in any gaps, Flower said.
Despite the conditions, Flower is happy with the systems in place and work from gardeners.
Flower said trying to find the correct plant variety for a specific environment is one of the challenges and excitements of being a gardener.
But he said the warming conditions will force gardeners to find plants that can thrive in dry weather.
‘‘There are drought resistant plants, for instance, such as Mediterranean and Australian plants, that can withstand these types of conditions better. Climate change is happening. Eventually everyone will have to rethink the type of plants they can grow’’.