CLIP & GROW!

Evelyn Hughson, Lower Hutt Circa 1955–1970

Evelyn Hughson, or ‘Ev’ as she was affectionately known, is remembered by her family and friends as a kind and caring person and a clever and innovative gardener. Her daughter-in-law, Ngaire, recalls how skilled Ev was at sourcing free cuttings and seedlings on her neighbourhood walks.

“I’ve heard from family members that every time Ev went for a walk around Epuni in Lower

Hutt, where she lived for 70 years, she would take her scissors or secateurs with her and snip cuttings from bushes and plants growing onto or over footpaths. Then she would take the cuttings home to root them, and when they had grown big enough, would transplant them into her garden.”

Ngaire says Evelyn was also very clever at identifying random flower seeds. In her travels, she would collect any seeds she found on the ground or in pods on trees.

Ngaire admits to practising Evelyn’s skill whenever she spots an accessible ‘cutting’ while out walking.

“It’s fun and it makes my walks interesting,” she says. “But as far as identifying seeds I find along the way, like Ev did, that’s something I have yet to master.”