This is a vigorous, evergreen, climber that can reach 5M. Bunches of bright pink flowers cover the evergreen leaves in summer.
Various varieties of P jasminoides can be found around Motueka, often having outgrown their original space. It does seem that you have to be mindful of just how vigorous this plant can be, when choosing where to plant it. However, it is a real joy when you come across it bursting over a fence.
Click here to visit the Pandorea jasminioides page in Krin’s garden.
This is an Iris, not a lily as the English name suggests, growing to about 60cm. Outlandish pink flowers rise from pleated iris foliage making an eye-catching tropical statement.
Tigridia deserve to be much more common in Karin’s garden than they are. “Liliacea” seems to come true from seed, and self-seeds reliably once established. The garden that let me have my plants routinely mows them in the lawn.
Click here to go to the Tigridia pavonia “Liliacea” page in Karin’s Garden.
This a small deciduous tree, usually growing to only 5-7M, with a noticeably broad crown. Profusion of bright pink flowers comprising many stamens that resemble silk filaments.
There are several of these around Motueka; in gardens, and municipal plantings as shown below. Many of these are too big to be the Rosea form, though they do look very similar otherwise. The spread means that this is just too big for normal section sizes in town, which is just fine in many ways, as we get to enjoy them anyway.
Click here to go to the Albizia julibrissin f. Rosea page in Karin’s Garden.
Medium-sized tree growing up to 20M. Long-lasting clusters of vibrant purple-blue flowers in early summer.
This tree does not like salt and is not a particularly common plant in Karin’s Garden. However, it stops you in your tracks when you see it. For guidance in Motueka, it should really be planted on or west of the High Street, to be far enough away from the sea.
Click here to go to the Jacaranda mimisifolia page in Karin’s Garden.
Can grow up to 25M tall, this is the iconic New Zealand Christmas Tree. Spectacular red flowers are made up of a mass of stamens.
Pohutukawa is [obviously] the highlight at this time of year. Though not native to the South Island they are to be found all through Karin’s Garden. New Zealand native plants do have a justified reputation for being a bit green and boring, from an ornamental garden perspective. This is a glorious exception, along with its close relative the Rata which are flowering in Abel Tasman at this time as well.
Click here to go to the Metrosideros excelsa page in Karin’s Garden.
Vigorous herbaceous plant with flowers rising to about 1m above leaves to about 50cm. Violet-blue flowerheads 6” across, above deep green, strap-like leaves.
Widely grown in Karin’s Garden, this is a fabulous plant, providing masses of colour year after year with little or no maintenance. This is one plant that even non-gardeners in New Zealand will recognise and enjoy.
Click here to go to the Agapanthus “Brilliant Blue” page in Karin’s Garden.
Vigorous shrub that will grow into a small tree if not pruned. Clusters of pink, funnel-shaped flowers over lance-shaped grey-green leaves.
This is a relatively common plant in Karin’s Garden, often forming part of a screen or even a formal hedge. It is justly popular as reliably producing showy flowers over many weeks, with just the annual prune as maintenance.
Click here to go to the Nerium oleander page in Karin’s Garden.
This is a small bush, growing up to 1.5M, flowering through late spring and early summer. Orange stamens rise above a cushion of red ribbons in each inflorescence.
This fabulous plant is not easy to come by, is difficult to propagate, and is not long lived. Which presumably explains why there are only a few of these around Motueka. However, the flowers are long-lasting, making the bush a stunning sight. Also excellent as cut flowers.
Click here to go to the Leucospermum x “Scarlet Ribbons” page in Karin’s Garden.
Spreading herbaceous plant growing to about 50cm. Violet-blue flowers growing atop mounds of slightly marbled, deep green foliage. Lengthy flowering period from November to April.
Certainly one of the all-time great plants, for its reliability and flowering persistence. A “good doer” if ever there was one. The flowers are large and individually striking for a Geranium, and are borne over a very long period. In Tasman it is probably best given shade for part of the day, preferably in the afternoon. Karin’s Garden would be much the poorer without this gem.
Click here to go to the Geranium “Rozanne” page in Karin’s Garden.
Indigofera decora – Chinese Indigo
This is a small spreading bush to about 60cm tall. Racemes of pink, pea-like flowers in late spring / early summer.
This plant never fails to attract admiring comments from visitors, and it deserves to be grown much more widely than it is.
Click here to go to the Indigofera decora page in Karin’s Garden.