'The winner of the “Miss Canterbury 1972” contest, Ineze Berzins, lists gardening as one of her hobbies. After winning the title on Saturday night, Ineze found a run over the lawns with a mower a good way to relax yesterday'. Press, 14 Feb 1972. #gardenhistory

This week, someone requested to see this 1880 volume on New Zealand ferns by H.B. Dobbie in our Reading Room. To make the images, he used the same technique of blueprinting that he was familiar with from his work as an engineer. More on this technique 👉 kew.org/read-and-watch…

A Morton Bay Fig tree, native to Australia, dominates the view of the town of Russell. The tree was planted by the customs collector Edward Laing and family at the front of their property, and custom house, some time between 1870 and 1880. #gardenhistory

A Morton Bay Fig tree, native to Australia, dominates the view of the town of Russell. The tree was planted by the customs collector Edward Laing and family at the front of their property, and custom house, some time between 1870 and 1880. #gardenhistory

Encroached on by the forest, this is one of two Camellia planted by Anges Busby around 1833/1834. They are likely the oldest living Camellia in New Zealand. At Waitangi Treaty Grounds. #gardenhistory

'Visitors to Christchurch have been surprised to find that the beauty of the Winter Garden is spoiled to some extent by the shoddy effect of some pieces of statuary that stand at the four corners of the central plot'.

Star, 27 October 1924, P1. #gardenhistory

GHRF trustee and fmr director of the gardens, Peter Sergel, has published ‘The Time-Travellers Guide to Hamilton Gardens’. The book reveals the meanings behind the design, which Sergel describes as a “story of humanity”.

Released April 24. #gardenhistory

nzherald.co.nz/waikato-news/n…

Exhibition at Ashburton Museum: A New Era: Ng King Bros. Chinese Market Garden Settlement.

Celebrating the restoration and Feb 2024 re-opening of this significant local site to the public. The exhibition is open until 12 May 2024. #gardenhistory

ashburtondc.govt.nz/community-faci…

New Blog:

Mowers are typically propelled by a human, but occasionally other forms of horse-power have been utilised. This was the case at the Devonport Naval Base in the early 1930s, where a donkey driven lawn mower was used. #gardenhistory

gardenhistoryresearchfoundation.com/2024/03/28/the…

'Jim Greenbaum wearing a Hincherton Hayfever Helmet as he mows his lawn in Virginia. It is claimed the moon-walker-style device helps him breath more easily in such conditions'.

Published in the Press (Christchurch), 26 December 1985, P13
#gardenhistory

A new book by Matt Morris: 'Bob Crowder: A New Zealand Organics Pioneer'. The book launch is on 21 March 2024, 5:30-7pm, Scorpio Books, Christchurch. #gardenhistory

Statues of Sobek and Horus, Egyptian gods of water and life, were erected at Hamilton Gardens in 1991. Some church leaders declared them false gods & worried they would become objects of pagan worship. They were damaged and covered in paint soon after installation. #gardenhistory

In researching Phoenix palms in NZ, Mike Lloyd has become aware of trees that remain while the buildings they were first associated with have gone. Here, he looks at examples from Wellington, Christchurch, Palmerston North & Tokomaru Bay. #gardenhistory

gardenhistoryresearchfoundation.com/2024/03/02/tre…

New book: FEIJOA: A STORY OF OBSESSION AND BELONGING, by Kate Evans.

Now available in Australia and New Zealand, published by Moa Press. #gardenhistory