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"Greening Of Napier" Into Its Third Planting Season

Tuesday 10 July 2012, 11:44AM

By Napier City Council

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NAPIER

Winter planting is further enhancing Napier’s cityscape, with more trees to beautify open spaces and flank our major roads.

The “Greening of Napier” scheme continues to make a big impact since its launch in 2010. This year, the landscaping programme targets several areas close to the city centre.

A natural hybrid of Metrosideros excelsa (pohutukawa) and Metrosideros robusta (northern rata), Metrosideros “Mistral” – a variety with a tidy, compact and upright habit – was chosen for the western side of McGrath Street. The 15 trees, which are some 2.5m tall, were recently planted and will soon be encircled by protective fencing.

Another flowering variety was chosen for the Balmoral end of Wellesley Road.

Jacarandas, which formerly provided a splash of seasonal colour in the shopping precinct, are to be planted again in the area, reinforcing the thematic landscaping provided by other trees established on the western side of downtown Napier.

Lower Dickens Street has several mature specimens – in the Memorial Square garden and the car park on the former RSA site. There are also jacarandas in the Craven Street car park and, visible from the Georges Drive end of Carlyle Street, these also make a big impact when they flower.

Thirty young Norfolk pines were planted in Beacons Reserve, on the seaward side of the Rotary pathway between The Esplanade and Ferguson Street South. The area between the pathway and the rail tracks has been planted mainly with Pittosporum crassifolium and Metrosideros excelsa.

Where possible, the Greening of Napier team seek out large specimens for their impact on the city’s open spaces. The programme also provides for a mix of native and exotic varieties to ensure autumn colour, some year-round foliage and a diversity of form.