PUKEKURA PARK - PLANTING TIMELINE
1847
Brooklands – Spanish chestnut, Castanea sativa, planted at Brooklands by Miss Brough, Lady Help of Captain Henry King RN. (This tree regarded as the best and possibly largest of this species in the Southern Hemisphere, and was nationally notable while alive, died in 1976)
1851
Brooklands – Norfolk Island pines, Araucaria heterophylla, planted at Brooklands by Captain Henry King. (These trees likely came from the ‘Egmont Nursery’ operated by James Laird).
1875
Recreation Grounds – August; planting of a vineyard in the part of the Park now known as Stainton Dell, by German father and son, Heinrich and Johann Breidecker. (Possibly one remnant vine on the edge of the lower lily pond in Stainton Dell)
1876
Recreation Grounds – May 29th, plantings at the official opening of the “Recreation Grounds” plants that represented geographic locations/areas, Oak, Quercus robur (UK) deceased, Puriri, Vitex lucens (NZ) still alive, Norfolk Island Pine, Araucaria hetrophylla (South Pacific) deceased, Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata (N America) deceased. (All the plants for the official plantings were supplied by local nurseryman James Mitchinson). Other plants planted on the opening day that are still alive, Rimu, Dacrydium cupressinum, Yew Tree, Taxus bacata. September 1876, donation of 2000 trees and shrubs from Christchurch Botanical Garden, including – Fraxinus, Ulmus, Castanea and Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata (Monterey Pines were the tree that the Recreation Grounds Board planted in great abundance/numbers in the first two or three formative years of the Park. Some of these pines are still alive).
1877
Recreation Grounds – July; Poplar slips (large cuttings) planted all around the “Recreation Grounds”. September 1877, Giant Redwood/Wellingtonia, Sequoiadendron giganteum, gifted and planted by Mr Davis. (Two of the three originally planted are still alive).
1878
Recreation Grounds – Donation of shrubs and an offer of 500 trees and shrubs for the grounds from Mr Mitchinson at 10s per 100 and the procurement of Eucalyptus seed. (Some of the 500 trees offered/mentioned are probably the English Oaks on the western side of the Main Lake).
1883
Recreation Grounds – Puriri trees, Vitex lucens, by the Band Rotunda.
1885
Recreation Grounds – Maritime Pine, Pinus pinaster planted on Eastern Hillside/Totara Hillside.
1885
Brooklands – Copper beech and Japanese maple (both deceased) planted by John Boulden at Brooklands.
1888
Recreation Grounds – July 4th, American trees planted Torrey Pine, Pinus torreyana, Macnab Cypress, Cupressus macnabiana, Monterey Cypress, Cupressus macrocarpa. (Specimens of all these species are still alive and the seed for them came from the fledgling NZ Forest Service). Water lilies planted in the lily pond by Mr Mitchinson, (this lily pond was located on the site that is Hatchery Lawn, and the lawn was created by filling in the pond in the early 1950s).
1890
Brooklands – Walnut, Juglans regia, Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata, Maritime Pine, Pinus pinaster on the Kaimata boundary of Brooklands, Monterey cypress, Cupressus macrocarpa
1890
Recreation Grounds – September; Camellia japonica varieties: ‘Dido’, ‘Triumphans’, and ‘Welbankiana’. Pampas grass planted around Water Lily Pond/Hatchery Lawn.
1891
Recreation Grounds – Native plantation designed and overseen by Mr Kidd in the gully leading up to the Racecourse (area now known as Stainton Dell). Mr Kidd was a Landscape Gardener from Inglewood. (Some of the trees from this planting are still extant, Pukatea, Laurelia novae-zealandiae, Kahikatea, Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, Rimu, Dacrydium cupressinum, Puriri, Vitex lucens in the area between the Teahouse and the Fred parker Lawn). This planting overseen by Mr Kidd is also the earliest recorded introduction of Para Tawhiti/King fern, Ptisana salicina, into the Park.
1892
Recreation Grounds – June; Norfolk Island pine, Araucaria heterophylla planted by Poets Bridge, the gift of Mr G Duncan. October; Box Thorn, Lycium ferrocissimum maze. The maze was designed/planted by Mr A. Hood. (Located in the vicinity of the current Rhododendron Dell)
1893
Brooklands – Magnolia grandiflora planted by the Norfolk pines (blown over in a storm on Good Friday 1982), Magnolia x soulangeana, also rimu’s, Dacrydium cupressinum, totara’s, Podocarpus totara and tanekaha, Phyllocladus trichomanoides, at the southern end of the main lawn.
1893
Recreation Grounds – Tree ferns (Main Lake & Main Lake Dam), and Cabbage trees.
1895
Recreation Grounds – June; Morton Bay Fig, Ficus macrophylla, Lawson’s cypress, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, Rhododendron ‘Sir Robert Peel’ (Possibility these may not have been planted until the 1920s), London Plane, (It is probable that this was substituted with Oriental Plane, Platanus orientalis) Knightia, Rimu (refer to article in FOP Magazine, Vol 8 No. 3 October 2013, by David Medway about Francis Hamar Arden). August 1895; the first Arbor Day plantings in the Park took place on land gifted to the Grounds by the Racecourse. (This land is the hillside to the east of the Main Lake Serpentine)
1898
Brooklands – Chestnut, Castanea sativa ‘Paragon’ (deceased), Walnut, Juglans regia (fireplace side of main lawn, deceased), London plane, Platanus x acerifolia (Bowl of Brooklands & Rhododendron Dell) alive, American Elm, Ulmus americana (Brooklands & Rhododendron Dell) alive, Horse chestnut, Aesculus hippocastanum (Bowl of Brooklands, deceased).
1898-90
Brooklands – Rhododendrons, Camellia japonica varieties: ‘Great Eastern’ (alive), ‘Grand Sultan’ (deceased) and the Chinese Tea camellia, Camellia sinensis and Holly trees, Ilex aquifolium.
1899
Recreation Grounds – Planting of Manhattan Island using plants sourced from the Meeting of the Waters Reserve and Tarata, Kahikatea, Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, Rimu, Dacrydium cupressinum, Matai, Prumnopitys taxifolia and tree ferns.
1900
Recreation Grounds – Maze removed and area replanted including Monument Hillside with 200 native trees and shrubs.
1901
Recreation Grounds – Plants from collecting trip to Raglan, Mangeao, Litsea calicaris Tanekaha, Phyllocladus trichomanoides, Wharangi, Melicope ternata, Native Heath, Umbrella Fern, Kowhai, Sophora chathamica, Manuka, Leptospermum scoparium.
1901-1902
Brooklands – Ginkgo biloba and Carrya ovata (deceased), planted by Clement Govett, in the gully below the “Maranui’’ homestead, after which the gully is named. The part of the Maranui gully where the ginkgo is planted has become latterly known as List’s Garden, after the third owner of the property “Maranui” Mr T C List. (1901 or 1902 are the most likely date for the planting of the Ginkgo in that Clement Govett bought the property from the original owner, James Cartwright George, in 1901 (therefore the suggested planting date of the 1880’s on the current tree signage and in records, is definitely unlikely or incorrect). Clement Govett first opened the garden to the public in December
1903
Brooklands – Palms planted; European Fan palm, Chamaerops humilis, Chinese windmill Palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, Senegal Date Palm, Phoenix reclinata, also Wisteria floribunda ‘Multijuga’.
1905-1908
Brooklands – The “Gables” garden, planted by Newton & Mary King around this time.
1908
Pukekura – Tea house wisteria, Wisteria sinensis. Totara Hillside additional plantings and the planting of the Main Lake Serpentine margins.
1909
Pukekura – The first Kauri planted in the Park, originally planted near the site of the current Teahouse and relocated to its present site at the base of Monument Hillside in March 1911.
Pukekura – Smith Walk/Gilbert Street entrance environs. Initial stages of development and planting of the Sunken Dell near the Teahouse.
1910
Pukekura – July; the planting of the camellia at the entrance to fountain Lake, that was subsequently named after the Park in 1952 by Australian camellia expert Professor E.G. Waterhouse, Camellia japonica ‘Pukekura’.
1912
Pukekura – The planting of a rose garden in the part of the Park now known as Palm Lawn. A significant gift of Para Tawhiti/King fern, Ptisana salicina, given to the Park by the Sole brothers. (This gift of king ferns may be the nucleus of the current King Gully/Dell) Planting of a Weeping elm by the teahouse, the gift of Mr Wheeler of Inglewood.
1914
Pukekura – A collection of 34 varieties of flax planted in beds next to the original teahouse, which was sited adjacent to the Wisteria.
1915
Pukekura – Planting of the Black Beech, Nothofagus solandri, at the entrance to Fountain Lake. This plant was donated to the Park by Mr Morshead, a local New Plymouth nurseryman. Norfolk Island pine, Araucaria heterophylla near the Sportsground/old Curator’s office, and Cupressus sempervirens and Picea abies in the newly developed Sunken Dell.
1916
Pukekura – The plating of native trees near the John Street entrance (Horton Walk).
1917
Pukekura – October; planting of the original palms on Palm Lawn, Australian Cabbage Palm, Livistona australis, Kentia, Howea forsteriana, Cliff Date Palm, Phoenix rupicola. The plants came from C.L. Wragge, the owner of Waiata Subtropical garden in Auckland.
1919
Pukekura – Planting of the Judas tree, Cercis siliquastrum on Palm Lawn, plant possibly came from Duncan & Davies. Sequoia sempervirens next to the Sports Ground Pavilion.
1922
Pukekura – Planting of a Rhododendron Dell (70 varieties) in what is now Primula Dell by Mr C. Sanders. Planting of a bed of Japanese irises donated by Newton King, near the new Rhododendron Dell.
1924
Pukekura – Planting of a Weeping elm at the path junction where the waterfall is (this tree was relocated to the Band Room Lawn when the waterfall was built), the gift of Mr Wheeler of Vogeltown. Planting of Natives along the John Street Walk, Rimu, Dacrydium cupressinum, Kauri, Agathis australis, Totara, Podocarpus totara (This Walk was renamed Horton Walk in 1949). This would the next most likely time for the planting of Rhododendron ‘Sir Robert Peel’, if they weren’t planted in 1895 as by this stage this variety was being offered in local nursery catalogues.
1925
Pukekura – Planting Gilbert Street frontage, where gully was filled in to create the street. Planting pohutukawas on the John Street (Horton Walk) extension. Camellia japonica planted next to Sequoiadendron giganteum near old curator’s office.
1926
Pukekura – Coastal Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, donated by F. cowling and planted on Cannon Hill, and probably the Norfolk Island hibiscus, Lagunaria pattersonii and tulip tree, Liriodndronn tulipifera near the pavilion. Planting of Pohutukawa’s on the eastern side of the Sports Ground.
1926 – 1928
Pukekura – The development and planting of the Fernery, and the development and planting of Stainton Dell.
1927
Pukekura – Japanese maples donated by Mr Aldridge planted at Fernery Lawn (Fred Parker Lawn) and Stainton Dell. Stainton Dell lower pond islands planted with Rimu, Kauri and Hall’s Totara. Dicksonia fibrosa trees ferns from Tarata planted around the Stainton Dell ponds. Canna lily bed planted on the Fernery Lawn (Fred Parker Lawn).
1929
Pukekura – Planting the rockery at the Fernery entrance, including the Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Aurea’ Plantings of Rhododendrons in Primula Dell, sourced by Thomas Horton on his 1928 visit to the UK as part of the NZ bowls team. The plants came from the old nursery firm Waterer & Son’s. Planting of the Kauri tree on the Fred Parker/Fernery Lawn on the 17th of October by the Mayor, H. V. S. Griffith’s, to commemorate handover of the administrative control and title deeds of the Park from the “Pukekura Park Board” to the New Plymouth Borough Council.
1930
Pukekura – The hillside below Curators house on Victoria Road, planted in August with native trees after the removal of pines. Planting of Pohutukawa’s and assorted natives along the Brooklands Road boundary of the Park, following the removal of pines and near the old Croquet green. Planting of the totara hedge on Mason Drive and Flagpole Hill (named for the flagstaff presented to the Park by Chew Chong, originally near sports ground but re-located to site near Mason Drive).
1931
Pukekura – Planting pohutukawas and karakas at the back of the Sportsgrounds (entrance to king fern gully), trees in King Fern Gully, and planting totara trees on hill behind Sports Ground southern terrace and Claffey Walk.
1932
Pukekura – The planting of exotic and native trees on the site of the original Curator’s cottage (near No. 25 Victoria Road) as a way to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the formation of the Girl Guide movement. Amongst the trees was a Kauri, Agathis australis, planted jointly by local Boy Scouts and Girl Guides to commemorate the 1931 visit of Lord Baden Powell, (the founder of the Scouting movement) to New Zealand. Planting of a shelter belt of Quercus ilex alongside the croquet green and tennis courts at Victoria Road. Planting of trees on the old maze site (now Rhododendron Dell). Planting the area directly behind the teahouse with native trees. The planting of forty King ferns in King Fern Gully. Planting of tall growing conifers on hill tops with varieties such as; Araucaria heterophylla, Calocedrus decurrens, Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Aurea’ and Pinus nigra subsp. laricio (Monument Hill, Eastern Hillside, Claffey Walk, Victoria Road) Planting of the Eastern Hillside Race Course boundary.
1933
Pukekura – Planting of kauri trees in the Fillis Street Gully Botanical Reserve (Kindergarten Gully) and pohutukawas on the ridge top to the east of the Sports Ground. The island (now the fountain) in the Fountain Lake planted with tree ferns and azaleas donated by Duncan & Davies.
March 1934 the Brooklands estate, and part of Maranui (T.C. List) estate and Maranui Gully (C.A. Wilkinson) properties gifted to the City of New Plymouth as an addition to the Park
1934
Pukekura – The planting of a kauri, Agathis australis, at the south end of what is now Hatchery Lawn on the 6th of April by Mr R. C. Hughes to commemorate his 60 years of service to the park on the committee that had overseen the development and management of the Park. Robert Clinton Hughes is the founder of the Park and a founding member of the Recreation Grounds Board. The Kauri was planted next to a pine tree he planted on the opening day of the park 26 May 1876, which was subsequently removed in 2016. (Unfortunately the tree died in the mid-1950s due to wet nature of the site) August; the creation/development and Initial plantings in the “Sanders Rhododendron Dell”
Brooklands – Planting of macrocarpas in Ambush Gully and Lawsoniana and pohutukawa shelter belts on the western boundary of Brooklands.
1934 – 1935
Pukekura – The planting of the “Fillis Street Native Botanic Reserve” in the area now known as Kindergarten Gully.
1935 -1938
Brooklands – Kauri Grove (native forest) planted on what was originally a bare farm paddock. (1937 Arbor Day observed at Kauri Grove – trees were planted by the Mayor and Park Committee members)
1937
Pukekura – Further plantings of natives and kauri on the hill top behind Fillis Street Gully.
1939
Brooklands – Planting of a copper beech in what is now known as the Bowl of Brooklands, and other trees at Brooklands.
1940
Pukekura – Planting of a Hydrangea bed in the upper part of Stainton Dell.
1942
Brooklands – Lawson Cypress and Totara shelter belt Kaimata Street Nature Trail.
1944 – Brooklands – a further part of the Maranui (T.C. List) estate gifted to the Park, (Lists Garden)
1947
Pukekura – Shifting Rhododendrons to their permanent positions in Rhododendron Dell.
1948
Pukekura – Area behind the Ladies Pavilion and towards the top of the southern terrace, replanted with tall growing trees given to the park by the New Plymouth Horticultural Society.
1949
Pukekura – July; The planting of the ridge between the 1924 Horton Walk plantings and the Sports Ground southern terrace, it was an Arbor Day project. Initial plantings at the Children’s Play Ground, after macrocarpa’s had been cleared from the site.
1951
Pukekura – The planting of Tupelo, Nyssa sylvatica, in Primula and Sunken Dell. Planted for its coloured autumn foliage display.
1952 – 1953
Brooklands – Planting of redwoods and Cryptomeria List Street walk?
1955
Pukekura – Site of the old Tennis Courts on Victoria Road redeveloped and planted. The planting of the first Dawn Redwoods, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, in the Sunken Dell and on the Main Lake Island. Initial tree plantings in Goodwin Dell.
1955-1956
Pukekura – Native tree plantings King Fern gully adjacent to Claffey Walk.
1955
Brooklands – Pohutukawas planted Kaimata Street frontage.
1956
Pukekura – Victoria Road Camellia collection integrated into the native planting from 1930 on the hillside below the curator’s house. This collection had additional plantings in 1968 and again in 1990.
1958
Pukekura – Stainton Dell Azalea Bank, Central School Arbor Day Project.
1959
Pukekura – Stainton Dell Magnolia Collection planted, the source of the collection was Duncan & Davies. The planting of the bank between the Band Room Lawn and Fernery (Freethey’s Bank). The planting and development of Goodwin Dell. Planting of conifers on Cannon Hill.
1959-1960
Pukekura – a collection of conifers planted on Monument Hillside.
1960
Pukekura – Planting of deciduous azaleas and Cornus kousa on Rhododendron Dell hillside.
1961
Pukekura – Planting of evergreen azaleas Monument Hillside.
Brooklands – September; The planting of the Pinetum Dell at Brooklands Bowl. The pinetum was planted by J.W. Goodwin to future proof the name of the yearly summer music/theatre festival in the Bowl of Brooklands, “Festival of the Pines”.
1962
Pukekura – Smith Walk Azalea Bed planted.
1963
Pukekura – Camellias planted at Shortland Street entrance and the planting of Swan’s Walk. The initial plantings of the Racecourse Walk Camellia collection.
1964
Pukekura – Planting in September of Western Hillside/Scanlan Walk; Kauri, Agathis australis, Rimu, Dacrydium cupressinum, Miro, Prumnopitys ferruginea, European Beech, Fagus sylvatica, Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum, for their autumn colour, and Magnolia’s following the removal of original 1876 plantings of Pinus radiata from the planting site.
1965
Pukekura – The foundation of the Park orchid collection formed with the donation of Cymbidium orchid plants from local horticulturist and nurseryman Mr Fred Parker. The donated collection was named in memory/honour of his wife, Agnes Mary Parker. Eastern Hillside planted, after the removal of original 1876 Pinus radiata from this area.
1965
Brooklands – Arbor Day plantings in Brooklands including the Camellia hedge between the Park and the Bowl (Since removed), and the initial planting of the Zoo grounds.
1966
Brooklands – The planting of the Dawn Redwood’s, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, and Swamp Cypress, Taxodium distichum in the Bowl of Brooklands. The planting concept was the idea/suggestion of Trevor Davies, one of Sir Victor Davies son’s. The trees came from Duncan & Davies Nursery.
1967
Brooklands – Planting of water lily collection in the Bowl of Brooklands Lake. Planting of rhododendrons along Kaimata Street frontage.
Pukekura – Planting of Hebe, Olearia and Brachyglottis collection along Victoria Road frontage.
1968
Pukekura – Band Room gardens and Band Room Lawn camellia hedge planted.
Brooklands – Kaimata Street Camellia Collection planted, after the removal of Lawson Cypress which formed part of the 1942 shelter belt. Gables garden development plantings.
1969
Brooklands – Arbor Day Project, planting of trees in the Zoo Deer Pen (now Farmyard) and Camellia collection across the southern boundary of the zoo, after the removal of pines, and planting of Ambush Gully after the removal of Macrocarpa and Lawson Cypress trees. (Which had been planted in 1934)
1971
Brooklands – Arbor Day project, planting of the Nature Trail Native Grove (area to the west of zoo free flight enclosure). A feature of this planting was an association of plants that are commonly found in Northland and the nearby offshore islands.
1976
Pukekura – Park Centennial plantings took place on 1 May 1976. A Kauri, Agathis australis, was planted on the western side of the summit of Cannon Hill by Mr D. F. C. Saxton and A Brodie, as part of the Park Centennial celebrations. Mr Saxton was a long-time chairman of the Pukekura Park Committee. A ginkgo tree, Ginkgo biloba, was planted near the foot of Cannon Hill, as part of the Park Centennial celebrations by Mr Fred Parker, a local horticulturist and long standing member of the Pukekura Park Committee. A Norfolk Island Pine, Araucaria heterophylla, was planted at the northern end of the summit of Cannon Hill as part of the Park Centennial celebrations by Mr D. V. Sutherland, the Mayor of New Plymouth. A Southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora ‘Goliath’ was planted near the outlet of the Fountain Lake, as part of the Park Centennial celebrations by Councillor, Mrs A. N. Gail, Chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Committee. A Linden, Tilia x euchlora, was planted at the southern end of Hatchery Lawn as part of the Park Centennial celebrations by Mrs Eliot King, the daughter in law of the late Newton King. Newton King, was a son of Thomas King, who was elected as the founding Chairman of the original Board of Trustees for the Recreation Grounds.
1980
Brooklands – Original planting of the Traffic Islands at Brooklands and the planting of a holly collection on the Eastern boundary of the Zoo. (Holly collection subsequently removed for Zoo Farmyard redevelopment)
1983
Pukekura – Arbor Day project, plantings along Scanlan Walk, after the final removal of original Pinus radiata from the upper part of this area, a thematic continuation on from the 1964 plantings. Revamp of the Shortland Street Entrance with the creation of a scented garden.
1992-1993
Pukekura – Vireya Bank developed and planted. This planting was combination planting of vireya rhododendrons and cycads.
1993
Pukekura – Japanese Hillside developed and planted on the slope to the west of Hughes Walk, after the removal of original 1876 Pinus radiata trees from this area. The hillside was developed and planted in response to requests for a Japanese garden. Seed for the maples and Hinoki cypress were wild sourced in Japan. A collection of Camellia species added to the Race Course Walk Camellia collection.
Brooklands – Alder collection and Chinese collection developed and planted near the Pukekura Tennis Club courts at the Welbourn end of the Park.
1995
Pukekura – Redevelopment of the Rogan Street entrance.
Brooklands – Re planting of the Bowl skyline (Scanlan Lookout) Pinus radiata trees after the removal of the originals the previous year.
1996
Pukekura – Victoria Road Car Park developed and planted on what was once part of the grounds of the Curators house.
1997
Pukekura – Major landscape redevelopment of the Herbaceous Border at the Fred Parker Lawn, realignment of the paths and configuration of the border.
1999
Pukekura – Extension of the Sanders Rhododendron Dell planted on hillside to the west of the Bowl lily lake and the pathways on the hillside renamed “Jellyman Walk”.
November 16, Pinus roxburghii SARG. (syn. P. longifolia) Long-leaved Indian pine planted by the Venerable Pong Re Sung Rap Tulku Rinpoche the first Tibetan High Lama born in New Zealand. The tree was supplied by Allan Jelyman and planted on Eastern Hillside. It was grown from seed, supplied by Tony Schilling, sourced in Bhutan. Unfortunately the tree is no longer there.
2000
Brooklands – Welbourn Chinese collection expanded with the upgrade of the Coronation Avenue Entrance. Welbourn Beech Wood planted, the beech trees coming from the open ground block in the lead up to the closure of the Parks Department nursery.
2001
Pukekura – Commemorative planting of a Parajubaea cocoides, by Mayor Claire Stewart on the Palm Lawn, on the 125th anniversary of the opening of the park on the 29th of May 1876, and additional plantings of new palms to expand the collection. Lower section of Japanese Hillside developed and planted. Monument Hillside silver fern feature planted.
Brooklands – Monkey Puzzle, Araucaria araucana forest developed and planted in the Bowl below the Skyline pines.
2003
Brooklands – Scanlan Lookout developed and planted. The development of this lookout required the removal of some of the Bowl Skyline Pines planted in 1995. Redevelopment/revamp of the Kaimata Street Frontage border with the installation of new edging and the planting of Dawn Redwoods, Metasequoia glyptostroboides amongst the existing rhododendrons.
2004-2005
Brooklands – Kunming Garden developed and planted. This garden was the gift of New Plymouth’s sister City Kunming, in the Yunnan Province of China. Materials for the Spring Wind Pavilion and Moon Gate were gifted by the city of Kunming and these features were built by craftsmen from Kunming. The Kunming Garden was developed on a site that used to be the open ground block for the Parks Department Nursery.
2006
Brooklands – Grape vines planted at the Gables, propagated from the remnant (Breidecker) vine in Stainton Dell.
2007
Pukekura – Planting of trees on Eastern Hillside to commemorate the centenary of the naming of Pukeura Park, Araucaria bidwillii (alive), Pinus nigra subsp laricio (alive) and Abies holophylla (Deceased). Revamp of the Monument Hillside conifer collection.
2008
Brooklands – Revamp of the Herbaceous Border (eastern border), and the Western border (subsequently renamed the 4 Seasons Border).
2009
Brooklands – March; the planting of a Mexican Weeping Pine, Pinus patula on the hillside at the Bowl of Brooklands, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the gifting/handover of Brooklands to the citizens of New Plymouth.
2009
Brooklands – Revamp of the Traffic Islands, Zoo and “Gables” gardens. The revamp of the Gables garden was a joint venture between the Park team and volunteers from the Friends of Pukekura Park.
2012
Pukekura – A revamp of the native plant border on Victoria Road, with renewal plantings of Brachyglottis, Hebe and Olearia collection. A second stage of the revamp took place in 2018.
2013
Pukekura – Landscaping and planting of the Kindergarten Gully frontage after the installation of new cricket practice nets.
2014
Pukekura – March; Native plantings in the Children’s Playground environs, this was a joint venture between the Park and STOS (Shell Todd Oil Services) for whom this was a team building day project. In August the Park received a plant of Bodhi/sacred Fig, Ficus religiosa, from the local Sri Lankan Buddhist community. Provenance of the tree; It was propagated from a parent tree in Sri Lanka and was sent/given to the Buddhist temple, Sri Lanka Ramaya in Auckland. The temple distributed plants to various communities, including the local Sri Lankan Buddhist community who planted their plant at a retreat property in Urenui. However the property on which the retreat was set up was placed on the market and so a new home had to found from the Bodhi tree and it was subsequently gifted to the Park. It was grown for a period of time at the Fernery before eventually being planted out on Eastern Hillside on 6 May 2016. This sacred tree is focus point for the community who gifted it.
2015
Pukekura – Landscape redevelopment of the Fills Street Frontage, including new retaining walls and plantings of palms and hibiscus.
2019
Pukekura – A significant donation of 15 large Cycads, the gift of Mark and Lucy Braun of Te Kuiti to the Park. These were planted out in various locations; Main Car Park gardens, Teahouse Wisteria bank, Palm Lawn and Vireya/Cycad Bank on Racecourse Walk. A revamp/renewal of the native shrub plantings on Horton Walk.
Large American elm removed from the gables garden.
A storm toppled a scarlet gum on the sports ground southern terrace
2020
Brooklands – Revamp of the Brooklands Traffic Island gardens with additional plantings of palms, aloes, yuccas, pony tail palms and Xanthorrhoea.
2021
Pukekura – Development of a Taranaki Regional Plants garden near the Poets Bridge.
Removal of the last of the original pine trees on Cannon Hill.
A Western Himalayan Spruce, Picea smithiana was planted on Eastern Hillside as a replacement for the Pinus roxburghi planted by Rinpoche in November 1999.
2022
Pukekura – Redevelopment of the Fountain Lake outlet stream and adjacent garden environs with plantings of new palms and bromeliads.