Photoessay: The Tropical Garden

The Tropical Garden is part of the Fantasy Garden Collection, and its theme is 'the fantasy of a tropical-looking garden in a sub-tropical climate'. With recent reports of snow in Hamilton, it is clear that real tropical plants won't survive. So all the plants in the Tropical Garden are carefully chosen to give a jungle atmosphere while also surviving our winters.

An aerial photograph of the Tropical Garden site with garden plans superimposed. The italian Renaissance Garden can be seen at botom right. The Tropical Garden connects the Pizza (top right) with the Time Court (bottom left). The drawing shows how the path will cross a bridge over a ravine.

Looking northeast across the 'ravine'. The soil is very sandy and the layers that are visible here include pumice pebbles washed down from prehistoric volcanic eruptions in the Central Plateau.

The cement is poured to form the base of one of the ravine walls.

The walls begin to take shape...

At this stage of construction we were considering entering the unfinished work into the National Sculpture Awards in the 'large-scale abstract' category.

Once the walls were backfilled and the basin of the ravine was holding a bit of rainwater, the final effect began to be easily discernable.

The bridge has been installed and the walls painted. The circular structures on the right are concrete pipes laid on end. Bamboo will be planted inside the pipes to prevent it getting unruly. We recommend this technique for teenagers.

A view across the bridge showing the early stages of planting.

Another view of the plantings. Some of the palms have been transplanted from inner-city locations. We hope they will be a bit happier in their new home. Some of the sepcies of palm included in the planting plan are Chamaerops humilis, Phoenix reclinata, Parajubaia cocoides, and Butia capitata.