1 Roberts Line, Dear Valued Customer, PALMERSTON NORTH E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.leafland.co.nz Phone (06) 355 3235 Free Phone 0800 532 352 Free Fax 0508 532 352 May 2015 Leaf letter Hopefully you will have received our 2015 Leafland catalogue by now and have had some time to read it. We have had many positive comments, and it is really an indication as to how Leafland is always striving to lift the bar in being the best. Last week I travelled around the South Island seeing some of our customers. The South Island at this time of the year is truly amazing, and the colours are such that the camera doesn’t really do it justice. Some areas have had it very dry in recent months and have lost trees to drought, including older established specimens. Various Trees in the South Island It was good to catch up with many whom I had never met, and many times my expected 10 min meet and greet with chocolates turned into an hour long visit, seeing jobs and street trees that we had supplied in recent years. I spent a few minutes at Knottingley Park just out of Waimate, which is a hidden gem of colour. Then I was impressed with the trees in Ashburton and some very large Ulmus. Christchurch was a real colorful picture with the established Zelkova, Quercus “Palustris” and Liquidambars all looking stunning. I was meet with many frustrated landscape architects and Nurseries who are questioning why the Christchurch City Council are currently disallowing these trees to be planted at the moment. It seems to me that Christchurch will turn into a brown city in autumn in time, as on the list of inappropriate trees are trees like Fraxinus oxy. “Raywood”, Gleditsia, Ginkgo, Liquidambar, Malus, Melia, Prunus, Pyrus calleryana, Quercus palustris, Robinia, Ulmus Various Trees in the South Island and Zelkova. We need to have some information workshops sometime. The demand for Street Trees in Christchurch is huge , with everywhere you drive there is a new development , and road works , and it seems many Architects are specifying Carpinus and the Quercus robur “Fastigata”, which while they have their place as a hardy upright tree , their leaves all turn brown in autumn and remain on the tree into winter. I had a bit of time at the Broadfield Estate Private Garden – which was awesome. Gleditsia tri. “Emerald Cascade” After spending a few days in Christchurch I travelled north, and pulled up at the Kaikoura District Council offices the same minute that the big earthquake hit, so witnessed all the Council Staff scrambling to get outside to their assembly point. I am hoping to call around our North Island customers in the next few weeks so hopefully I will catch up with you. If you want a tough small weeping tree with neat yellow autumn colour, try planting a Gleditsia Tri. Emerald Cascade. These handle a very windy site and heavy soil, and I call them the Tree-Hut Tree, as they are well suited to allow children to play underneath them. We have these in a 45l grade at $95 plus freight and gst. Mary’s tree for the month: Turkey Oak – Quercus cerris As 2105 is the year we are commemorating 100 years since the Gallipoli landings consider adding a Turkey Oak to your plantings to honour this occasion. Quercus cerris – Tree with acorns below This magnificent Oak tree is one of the hardier Oak tree for our exposed and drought prone areas. Makes a wide spreading tree of noble proportions. The deep green shining leaves are deeply lobed. They turn yellow in autumn before falling. Produces large crops of acorns. Excellent for both shelter and as a specimen tree. (Deciduous 10m) All the Best, Ben Currie & the Team at Leafland LEAFLAND FOR QUALITY SPECIMEN TREES