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Particular Cases.
Aldenham.—No Nothofagus is hardy here. Hymenanthera dentata var. angustifolia was cut in 1928, so also was Hymenanthera crassifolia. Sophora tetraptera is only hardy on a wall. Leptospermum in general is not hardy, but L. scoparium is so. Carmichaelia australis and C. flagelliformis are not hardy. Phormium tenax grows tall and strong but does not flower. Discaria Toumatou is only hardy on a wall. Griselinia littoralis is only just able to survive.
Kew.—No Nothofagus is hardy. Dr. Hill thinks that this is because the seeds tried have come from the warmer parts of New Zealand only, and those from colder quarters are to be tried. As elsewhere, some New Zealand plants are only hardy against a wall, such as Clematis afoliata.
Wakehurst.—In spite of the great cold Clianthus puniceus, Myrtus bullata, and Arthropodium cirrhatum (against the house) have wintered out-of-doors. It is found here in general that New Zealand plants thrive best where exposed to the wind. Several trees and shrubs were severely cut, but not killed, during the winter of 1927–8. Among these are Hoheria populnea (one was killed), Sophora tetraptera, Nothopanax arboreum, Veronica elliptica, Cordyline australis, and Coriaria ruscifolia. Plants which had done well till this date but succumbed to the exceptional cold were Olearia semidentata, Senecio Hectori, and the Celmisias generally. Phormium
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tenax and P. Cookianum are hardy and flower well. Among the plants which cannot winter here are: Weinmannia racemosa, Myoporum laetum, Alectryon excelsum, Dodonaea viscosa, Metrosideroslucida and M. robusta. The Leptosperma are hardy, so also are Gaultheria oppositifolia, various species of Nothofagus, Griselinia littoralis, and Clematis Colensoi, while Clematis indivisa can only be grown indoors.
South Western Districts and the Islands.—The coastal counties from Cornwall to Hampshire enjoy a comparatively mild climate with a greater rainfall than the Eastern, so that most of the South Island plants are grown out-of-doors; many of them, such as Cordyline australis and Phormium tenax are great favourites. In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly many North Island and even sub-tropical plants are grown.
Ludgvan, near Penzance, Cornwall.—This is typical of the Cornish climate and possibilities. Rainfall about 35 inches. Temperature down to 20° Fahr. has been experienced, but this is exceptional. In an average winter nothing like this is to be expected. Alpines do not thrive very well. The severe winter of 1927–8 cut Metrosideros tomentosa to the ground; it had lived long and flowered well. Metrosideros in general is quite hardy. Aristotelia racemosa also suffered in this frost but was not killed. Among the comparatively “soft” plants which flourish here will be noted: Knightia excelsa, Dodonaea viscosa, Cordyline indivisa, Senecio Hectori, and various treeferns.
Tresco, Isles of Scilly.—Rainfall about 34 inches. Frost very light and infrequent. The months of May, June and July are usually very dry, with an average of about 4 inches of rain only for three months. Alpines generally cannot stand this. The danger here is from the high winds, laden with salt spray, which penetrate everywhere as the islands are so small. The wonderful results have been achieved by the patient and skilful building up of great shelter plantations during a long period of time. Forest trees thrive best and practically all seed themselves freely.
Seedlings of Metrosideros tomentosa spring up everywhere. Those of the other species of Metrosideros and of Corynocarpus laevigata are practically weeds here also. The climate has been found too dry for Dracophyllum generally and two plants of D. Traversii were transferred to a garden near Penzance where they have done well. The Catalogue shows that all the most remarkable and handsome trees and shrubs of Northern New Zealand are acclimatised here, among them will especially be noted, besides those already mentioned: Rhopalostylis sapida, Sideroxylon costatum, Meryta Sinclairii, Dysoxylon spectabile, Brachyglottis repanda, and Vitex lucens.
Guernsey.—Rainfall about 35 inches. Frost in general not lower than 26° Fahr. but in 1927–8 a temperature of 16° was recorded. The island is open to east winds and these are often impregnated with salt. Most of the softer New Zealand plants are grown. Alpines do not seem so happy. Notable among the New Zealand plants grown in
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de Putron's Nursery are: Clianthus puniceus, Senecio Hectori, Olearia angustifolia, and Cordyline indivisa.
Most of the plants mentioned in this section are also grown in the West of Scotland, and many in Ireland, where the conditions as regards rainfall and frost are very similar, but the Isles of Scilly are, of course, specially favoured.
Edinburgh.—Rainfall about 20 inches. Temperature of 16° Fahr. to be expected but as low as 10° Fahr. has been experienced. The rainfall is well distributed over the year, so that, though the total amount is small, drought is not to be feared, and Ranunculus Lyallii, which is rarely flowered in England, does excellently here. The chief enemy is the very piercing dry east wind which prevails during the spring, and this is found very deadly.
Conditions generally so closely resemble those of the East Coast of the South Island that most of the hardier New Zealand plants are successfully grown. Alpines do very well indeed, but some of them, notably Carmichaelia Enysii, Myosotis Traversii, Poa Maniototo and Muehlenbeckia ephedrioides, are a good deal modified in form in the general direction of increased laxity or leafiness, or both.
Phormium tenax is hardy and flowers well. Cordylinc australis, however, will not flower out-of-doors, owing, it is thought, to the effect of the dry east winds of spring. Nothofagus Menziesii is hardy and so, probably, are the others. Arundo conspicua is grown, but apparently does not flower. All Celmisias and Veronicas thrive and flower well. Sophora tetraptera flowers well, but only against a wall.