Gardening with Gael: Still learning about palms

09 May, 2022 

There are two things that, as a gardener, I particularly appreciate. They are evolution and discovery. Gardening is an art form, provides excellent physical exercise, benefits mental health and as well there is the ongoing discovery of new plants. There are so many plants you can become aware of at different stages in the gardening process. This has happened to me a couple of times recently. 

With this wonderful autumn we couldn’t be experiencing a better time to be establishing a garden. I had an overall plan that had to be deposited with the Council for approval. Fortunately, many of the areas had rather vague indications of plants and the evolutionary process of the garden has introduced many more species. 

I started with a Japanese-inspired look which is still there in places but the strelitzias, alstroemerias and hibiscus coming down the drive called for something more tropical looking. 

Box loves palm trees and in the cottage gardens I had about nine varieties.  

“Are there some planned for here?” he enquired. 

“No,” I said. “Wrong look. Not very Japanese.”  

And then I planted the drive. I love a good nikau [Rhopalostylis sapida]. Up at the Block in the clay loam under the bush they thrived, growing faster than I have ever experienced and almost all self-seeded. It was remarkable and beautiful. At my advanced age I don’t have time to wait for our local nikaus to make headway. It’s a different climate here and without the shade and cover of other trees I decided to look at the other nikaus available. 

From Pitt Island in the Chatham Islands comes an excellent nikau – Rhopalostylis sapida ‘Chathamica’. I planted them at the cottages in the 1990s (last century!) and they thrived. They have a similar ‘shaving brush’ shape to our mainland nikau but with wider leaves. In spite of coming from the south and enduring the cold they are happy in full sun, tolerating wind and sea salt spray. This makes them a very attractive plant for coastal gardens. 

Rhopalostylis cheesemanii from Raoul Island in the Kermadec Islands has a more open crown and wider leaves. This nikau does not tolerate full sun quite like the Chatham Island nikau but is tolerant of coastal conditions and like the Chatham Island nikau grows faster than the mainland variety. 

A quick search and I found some Kermadec nikaus at a local nursery. I have been meaning to visit Greenspace Plants on Mountain Rd just north of Kaiwaka since I met Kirstin and Don at a garden ramble a few years ago. What an absolute treat was in store. I went for the nikaus but came home with some wonderful Pseudopanax lessonii ‘Trident’ for part of the planting on the bank, some glorious aubergine-coloured hydrangeas and a new discovery. 

My discovery was Blechnum gibbum ‘Silver lady’. This is a small fern that thrives indoor and out. Often called a dwarf tree fern because it forms a trunk, the bright apple-green fronds caught my eye. I thought they would make a lovely companion to the nikaus and be sheltered under the deck. Unfortunately, they are experiencing much more wind than they like and the pseudopanax that I have planted nearby have not had time to form a hedge. Silver ladies do not like draughts. I will need to get some shade cloth to protect them for the next little while until their shelter grows. I think I need a couple more palms as well. Back to Greenspace Plants I guess. 

The Chatham nikau is happy in full sun, tolerating wind and sea salt spray. This makes them a very attractive plant for coastal gardens. PHOTO/PALMTALK.ORG