Colour blast for gardens

Expect lots of colour and variety in council gardens from now on.

A decision by the community and infrastructure services committee in late April means two-thirds of the council’s 36 traditional annual bedding gardens will in future be planted in a range of native and exotic plants.

The move was prompted by concern about the flower beds’ poor drainage, poor soil condition and weed infestations – and the high cost of correcting these problems. Parks and gardens divisional manager Bruce Hodgins says replacement plants will be selected to ensure a bright and interesting range of foliage.

The decision to keep only 11 of the flower beds gardens in their traditional form will also reduce maintenance costs and result in an annual saving of $100,000. Good planting: An example of textural variety and scale can be seen here in William St, Petone, where silverbush (foreground) and renga renga lily surround a pohutukawa tree.