Forming part of the core Evolution Collection the New Zealand plant display is home to many highly adapted plants including Carpodetus serratus and the aptly named ‘chicken wire’ bush Corokia cotoneaster. Each has fussy or ‘divaricate’ branch patterns and small leaves which are thought to deter herbivores. These similar features on unrelated plants highlight superb examples of ‘convergent evolution’.
The lancewood, Pseudopanax crassifloius is represented by both juvenile plants with bronze, toothed edged, hard foliage and adult plants with green, smooth edged foliage. The two distinct stages of growth thought to be an adaptation to avoid young plants being eaten.
Sub-alpine and alpine hebe plants are planted in amongst silver-leaved Astelia nevosa and the grass Chinochloa favescens, illustrating some of New Zealand’s mountain habitats. Plants from coastal scrub and evergreen forest communities are grown including Coprosma and Brachyglottis and the flat-leaved celery pine, Phyllocladus trichomanoides.
The whole display is dissected by the main garden path giving visitors the opportunity to see many of these extraordinary plants close up.