Garden

The heritage garden at Brain-Watkins House Museum has seen the influence of many caretakers over the years from Kate Brain and her daughters, including Elva, the last of the family to occupy the home, to the members of the Tauranga Historical Society who have cared for it from 1979 to the present day.

  • 2023 July: Two native King ferns (Ptisana salicina) from the stock at The Elms have been planted in the Brain-Watkins garden. These are endangered, currently listed at ‘at risk’. The stout, starchy base, was a traditional food for Māori.
  • 2023 August: Garden Redesign – The Elizabeth Street garden has been redesigned into four rectangular gardens with a gap in between that will fit a 3 x 3m marquee for stallholders during the Vintage Garden Party.
  • 2023 August: Ring-barking of heritage trees: 41 buckets of rocks have been introduced as garden edging by Debbie since June (as recommended by Troy from The Elms – last lot laid on 12 August) and around the trees in the lawn. These form a definitive edge to the garden and will ensure that weed-eating no longer damages the tree trunks and new plantings are not killed. Purchased with TCC Match Fund grant (and some provided free by The Rock Shop).
  • 2023 September: Hydrangeas -22 lavender-coloured hydrangea plants from Eastoveden in Whakamārama have been donated and planted outside the white picket fence along the Elizabeth Street side and will add much colour to the site once they flower (some also planted in the driveway next to Elizabeth Street). Hydrangeas are native to Japan and were popular in Victorian times – Their symbolism comes from an old story about a Japanese emperor and his love. Legend says that the emperor fell in love with a woman but ended up spending limited time with her as he went about his duties. To show how much he cared, he sent her a bouquet of hydrangeas. Ever since, hydrangeas have been tied to deep feelings of love, gratitude, understanding and harmony.
  • 2023 September: Starlight – Joan Gooch has donated the rose ‘Starlight’ which has been planted in the Nīkau Garden. Starlight is a hybrid tea with lilac-mauve blooms and a strong fragrance.

2023 August: Three new heritage roses have been planted in the Elizabeth Street gardens. Paid for by TCC Match Fund with a 20% discount from Palmers Bethlehem. For the record, they are:

  1. The Poet’s Wife (2006). English Shrub Rose Bred By David Austin and on his list of Most Fragrant English roses. Large, cupped rosettes of soft butter-yellow petals and a strong, wonderfully rich fragrance with a hint of lemon, which becomes sweeter and stronger with age. The truth behind the naming of this attractive rose is unclear, one can only imagine which poet’s wife this brilliant yellow rose is named after. 
  2. Mary Rose (1983): English Shrub Rose Bred By David Austin. Large, fresh, rose-pink blooms which, in opening, form a shallow cup filled with petals. The delicious fragrance is of Old Rose character with a hint of honey and almond blossom.Named after “Mary Rose”, a warship of Henry VIII’s navy, launched 1511 and sank in 1545 in the Solent. It was raised in 1982.
  3. Thomas à Becket (2005): English Shrub Rose Bred By David Austin. Showy clusters of rosette-shaped blooms with crimson-red petals flowering throughout the summer. Flowering: Repeat Flowering. Fragrance: Medium, Old Rose with a strong lemon zest character. St Thomas à Becket is a significant figure in medieval history. Once a close ally and confidante of King Henry II, he was Royal Chancellor and then Archbishop of Canterbury before he fell out with the king and was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. He was seen as a martyr and his tomb became an important pilgrimage centre.
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