Episode: New Zealand Ellerslie International Flower Show

Presenter:Trevor Cochrane

Yates is a name synonymous with gardening success in Australia and New Zealand and in 1883 when Arthur Yates first set up his seed company in New Zealand he probably had no idea how influential it would be for gardeners in the region.

Today, Yates are doing all sorts of things to encourage people to achieve a beautiful home garden environment. The thing that is really good is their sponsorship of garden societies and the exhibition tent at Ellerslie is home to many of the specialist plant groups in New Zealand.

The Palm and Cycad Society has a Nikau Palm Grove. The Nikau palm (Rhopalostylis sapida) is quite unique as it is a cold climate palm and they are absolutely spectacular.

Australia also has its own version, the Norfolk Island Nikau is also the Chatham Islands Nikau (Rhopalostylis sapida ?oceana?) and the most found palm species. It is faster growing than the traditional New Zealand form and has more distinctive foliage. It is incredibly tough also.

The New Zealand Garden Trust is dedicated to and promoting and preserving over 136 horticulture treasures right across the country. This gives the general public access to the gardens and is a great source of information.

When Trevor visited the display he found an interesting bromeliad called Variegated Pineapple (Ananas comosus variegated). When you expose the plant to bright light it ends up with pink shades all the way through the foliage. Not only that, but it is a brilliant indoor pot plant and it has a bright pink fruit that is edible.

Liliums are one of the most popular cut flowers around, but not enough are used in gardens. The Auckland Lily Societies display of Asiatic, trumpet and oriental varieties is breathtaking.

Begonias are most commonly grown for their flowers but have you ever thought about growing them for their foliage. At the Auckland Begonia Circle have some rippers.

The Palm Leaf Begonia (Begonia luxurians), which originates from Brazil, has a great leaf structure, with about 15 fingers on each makes it quite fascinating.

Tree or Cane Begonia (Begonia wollinyii) are brilliant pot plants and this one is a real sweetheart.

As a potted plant indoors try Rex Begonia (Begonia Rex Cultorum Group). With their dazzling palette of colour, they are almost surreal.

The gold medal winner for the Yates Horticultural pavilion was the Auckland Heirloom Seed Savers group, a voluntary organisation that are dedicated to saving old world varieties for the future.

The exciting part about it is that they achieved the gold medal without exceeding their construction budget of $100.

Yates
www.yates.co.nz

New ZealandGarden Trust
http://www.gardens.org.nz/

Auckland Seed Savers Network
http://www.seedsavers.org.nz/groups/ahssn/ahssn.html