Donaldson's Garden and Moore's Bush

Over the last 40 years Cliff and Linda Donaldson have created a treasure trove of unusual plants. They have nurtured natives from all over New Zealand, including a multi-trunked Kauri that the pigeons fight over, Dysoxylum spectabile (Kohekohe) and several rare species, such as the Marlborough weeping broom, Carmichaelia stevensonii, and Elingamita johnsonii which was discovered by Geoff Baylis on the Three Kings Islands. There's also quite a fern collection, including some which Cliff is keen to have identified. So please bring your hand lens and fern guides. Colourful exotics include collections of Camelia, Rhododendron, Prunus, Magnolia and Fuchsia species, so spring blooms will abound. Weather and time permitting, we will then travel up Leith Valley to Moore's Bush, site of a local Forest & Bird restoration project. Here there are a variety of local and introduced lowland podocarp and broadleaf forest species. Meet at the Donaldson's place, 21 Glenmore St, Glenleith at 1.30pm, or at 1.15 in the Botany Department car park, 464 Gt King St, to car pool, which is a good idea, as parking will be limited.