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Notes on the Winter of 1928–9.
This winter has been even more destructive to New Zealand plants in English gardens than that of 1927–8. Mr. G. W. C. Loder, of Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, Sussex, writes as follows: “Sad as were the effects of the winter of 1927–8, they were trifling as compared with the disasters we have suffered this year. It is safe to say that not since the winter of 1894–5 have gardens suffered so severely, and I am sorry to say that the New Zealand plants have suffered most. … The winter was not really a very severe one measured by either the length or intensity of frost—but the damage to vegetation was nevertheless very great, possibly owing to the prevalence of very bitter East wind, and (odd as it may appear) absence of snow. My belief is that there is something particularly pernicious in an East wind in N.W. Europe. … Broadly speaking, the Leptospermums suffered most; I doubt whether any will recover. Next to them the Olearias and Senecios; most of them are injured but I expect most of them will recover. The Veronicas have suffered, but not so severely as I should have expected. … To refer to individual plants—the large plant of Olearia macrodonta (which you mention in your paper) has been badly “scorched,” and the leaves are falling off, but the plant is quite alive. O. ilicifolia seems more tender—also O. nitida—but both will survive. Fuchsia excorticata, badly cut, but will break low down. Panax arborea: several plants severely injured, but all will, I think, recover
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though disfigured… The only Nothofagus to suffer at all severely is N. Solanderi…. Podocarpus Totara uninjured, also Phyllocladus trichomanoides. Senecio Monroi has come through best of the Senecios; S. Greyii, S. laxifolius, and S. compactus all look as if they had succumbed, but may break.
“Our severest frost here was 21 in the screen (i.e. 11 Fahr.). It went lower in the winter of 1916–17, but not so much damage was done that winter. Broadly speaking, it seems that New Zealand plants will stand about 10 degrees of frost in Sussex, but when it comes to 20 degrees we must expect losses, especially if accompanied by exceptionally cold East winds.”
Dr. A. H. Williams, whose garden is also in Sussex, near Horsham, writes as follows: “We are just emerging from the most destructive winter that I remember…. I have lost I should think four-fifths of my New Zealand things…. At Tresco (Isles of Scilly) they have had no frost…. all looking very happy and well; but on the mainland in Cornwall and Devon I saw great Cordylines of considerable age quite ruined and cut to the ground.
“Of my Veronicas, H. buxifolia, H. vernicosa, H. cupressoides, H. Allanii have come through untouched; but all the others have been hit hard and the subtender ones like hybrids of H. speciosa that have survived hitherto were killed outright—even H. Traversii was badly hit. Of Olearias, Colensoi, macrodonta, Solanderi, Forsteri, and arborescens have been killed outright. O. ilicifolia, semidentata, and moschata had been killed in the previous winter, but O. Haastii, avicenniaefolia, oleifolia, and nummularifolia were untouched. Pittosporums, Colensoi, eugenioides and tenuifolium (and vars.) have been cut to the ground or killed outright, but Buchanani (?), crassifolium, Ralphii and Dallii have stood it fairly well and may recover. It is odd that crassifolium and Dallii should appear to be the hardiest of them. Senecios, S. compactus killed outright. Most of the plants of Huntii killed and laxifolius and Monroi badly hit. The Carmichaelias—all except C. nana—very badly hit or killed. All my Manukas and many of the Cassinias seem to be dead…. As to the cause of all this: In January we had about a fortnight of frost of about 20 degrees. As a rule our severe frosts end with a real thaw and rain. But when this frost broke we had no real thaw, but warm days with bright sunshine alternating with frost nearly every night of from 5 to 10 degrees and no rain. This sort of thing has continued from January to the end of April…. With this dry alternation of hot days and cold nights one by one the plants seem to have given out.”
The total number of plants included in this list is about 480 out of the total of 1571 (Cheeseman, 1925). The orders which are least well represented are Gramineae, Filices, Orchidaceae and Cyperaceae. Among the larger genera Gentiana, Myosotis, Ranunculus, Aciphylla and Epilobium are poorly represented.
Many of our plants, especially of the Northern species, are unsuitable for climatic reasons; others, such as the Juncaceous and Cyperaceous plants, are unattractive; others, such as the shingle plants and some of the alpines, are very hard to grow; and some have been neglected owing to their rarity here.