I am developing a new area down by our waterfall, and have been scavenging for ferns and trees in the pine tree forest on the farm. With much success! Some transfer more successfully than others. The Hen and Chicken Fern has been great, as have some of the tree ferns. Others seem to die back, but new growth is emerging. The first planting took place June 2017, so they are doing pretty well. I LOVE getting plants for free. There are very few trees I have bought for this area - just transferring seedlings and splitting plants from home.
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| Hen and Chicken Fern transfers really well |
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| 100% free plants in this pic, including trees from home - Ribbonwood , Cabbage Trees and Titoki |
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| Splitting Rengarenga Lilies works really well. They need similar conditions as ferns. |
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| Favourite view of Pongas at Otari-Wilton's Bush in Wellington. The dream for my own garden |
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| Prickly Shield Ferns, Helleborus foetidissima (not native) with pine needle mulch. |
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| Bank of Hen and Chicken Fern |
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| Elsewhere at the waterfall - Rengarenga and Kawakawa - both need frost free and prefer shade. Go well with ferns. |
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| Big ponga from another area at the waterfall |
If you have access to seedling plants, then pot them up and grow them on (any time from Autumn to Spring), or try transferring them directly from one site to the other - best in the middle of winter. We are lucky that the birds drop seeds all over our garden, so all kinds of things come up. It takes more effort than going to a plant shop - but well worth it if you are on a budget. And infinitely more satisfying!
