The most memorable plant in this garden was the huge tree ferns, which are almost prehistoric in feeling. We were able to see the tree ferns from all vantage points. First we walked across a "tree walk" which was a bridge that crossed over the tree tops:
Next we took stairs deep into the bush for some closeup of the tree ferns like these very young fiddleheads which will become the fern fronds as they mature:
This is a grown tree fern truck with its interesting hatched or almost plaited looking bark. Notice that the fiddleheads dry as the season progresses:
As the tree matures, the older stems turn this shiny black color and the fiddleheads get thicker and darker as well:
This photo of a tree fern "umbrella" was taken from the tree walk:
Come back on Wednesday and I'll share some lovely New Zealand water scenes, both natural and man-made in the formal gardens.
These are awesome Faye...Ferns are on of my fave plants. I once had two of them in hanging pots, they grew so large that they almost touched the floor. I would love to have one or several on my wrap around porch...but it gets tooo much sun.
ReplyDeleteJanis--you have a wraparound porch? Lucky girl--hope you have a lovely water view to enjoy with your morning coffee. Is Jer still the chief coffeemaker?
ReplyDeleteYou are right Faye...those ferns remind me of a dinosaur movie. I too have a collection of ferns as house plants. I have many house plants in fact...too many.
ReplyDeleteYour photos of the ferns are marvelous. I really like the detail you've captured. I think 'Fantasy Landscape' is a perfect description of the beauty you've shared with us.
ReplyDeleteI love ferns too. Lovely captures.
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