Urban greening would not be possible without these wonderful people!

Over the past 6 years, we have had the pleasure of getting to know a number of plant growers and nursery people around the country and what an honour this has been!

Our cities, parks and urban infrastructures would not be the same without these extraordinary people who work tirelessly throughout the year sourcing and propagating our unique and wonderful plants.

Oratia Native Plants is sadly closing. The wonderful owners Geoff and Bev have devoted a large part of their lives to rescuing local plants and are now looking to a well earned retirement. It is a national tragedy that this local resource looks likely to be lost. I live in hope that someone wants a wonderful business and will buy it and keep it going.

The Hatch clan at Joy Plants is rightly considered a national treasure and Terry has been recognised around the world as one of the best plant propagators and was named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to horticulture in the 2017 New Year Honours. Terry  claims “I just love plants, I’m a plant nut” and he and his son Lindsay are utterly delightful and are growing some exciting new varieties of plants for our Hanging Gardens.

Then there is the little known Porirua City Council Nursery – Siever’s Grove where Graham, Andrew and the team have fantastic knowledge of plants suitable for the Wellington environment and these guys are a real joy to work with. (The picture is of the wonderful plants these guys sourced and planted into our unique, botanical felt pockets for the new Hanging Garden at Victoria University)

The guys at Taupo Natives helped us with plants to create our award winning display at the last Ellerslie Flower Show in Christchurch and we have recently worked with Southern Woods in Christchurch, which is another wonderful nursery eco-sourcing local plants.

And of course, the Rotorua Council Nursery keep our Living Frame at the lake front looking stunning all year round with their displays of seasonal and native plants.

At Hanging Gardens, we are all ‘plant nuts’ and it is our pleasure to be associated with these other wonderful plant nuts around NZ. They are our heroes!

Leigh Nicholson