Time for some colour therapy

It’s springtime here in Auckland and there’s that unmistakable scent in the air of new growth that marks the season change. And there may even already be some pollen floating around, going by the increase in sneezing in our office!

After a cold and wet winter it was a joy to visit one of Auckland botanical treasures recently: Eden Garden. Reclaimed from a disused quarry on the flanks of extinct volcano Maungawhau (aka Mt Eden), this stunning garden was created over several decades, solely through the work of many dedicated volunteers.

The result, and especially at this time of year, is a truly glorious garden experience, one that’s open to the public and well worth a visit if you enjoy things botanical and fancy a mood lift. It’s the colours on display that wowed us on our visit. There are many mature flowering trees, including magnolia, rhododendron and camelia, in such abundance it felt like walking around in a Karl Maughan painting.

I’m a big fan of bright colour in a garden, but on the property where we live, there are too many mature trees to allow enough sun for large areas of flowering plants.

So I try and take inspiration from places like Eden Garden, and grow what works, and enjoy the splashes of colour that I can create at different times of year. At this time of year, and on into summer, we have some brilliant flowers emerging, and I like nothing better than just hanging out in the garden for the cheery effect that these splashes of colour create among what is mostly a foliage-focussed palette of greens, browns and greys.

Right now we have clivia in full bloom, and I’m just seeing the end of some exotic-looking bilbergia bromeliads.

I like variety in my plants, so I don’t have one particular colour theme, although oranges/reds, and pink/purples predominate – and no, not all at the same time! One flower that just knocks me out is an iridescent purple/pink Iceplant succulent (not the pest variety) which last summer produced such a vivid display it hurt the eyes to look at it. The softer purple of a Salvia, which tolerates more shade, is a nice contrast to such showiness, and its velvety grey leaves help lighten the undergrowth around my trees.

Many of these flowers are not long-lasting, but I’ve learned to enjoy them while they’re around, and compensate for their absence with foliage that has variety in colour and texture. And when I do have great flowers on show, I like to photograph them. If you’ve got great shots of unusual or spectacular flowers from your own garden, please feel free to send them in..and of course we can exchange ideas in the Comments section.

Happy gardening.