Garden advice for Waiouru

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 262, 8 November 1988, Page 1 (Supplement)

Garden advice for Waiouru

Pauline Murphy's horticultural work in and around Waiouru Army camp became "official" Monday last week.

She was appointed as Horticultural Advisor to Waiouru Army Training Group. Pauline has been working in the area since March, on landscape design and the supervision of planting of shelter belts and gardens in and around the camp. Her work now involves implementing the long-term landscape management plan for the camp which was put together by the then Ministry of Works. Why work on gardens in a military camp? "To create a more pleasant place to live and work," says Pauline. She says there are many ways careful planting can improve the camp environment, including the obvious shelter belt system to cut down the cold Waiouru winds. Planting can also be done so as to create recreation areas such a s picnic areas, sports areas and parks. She has landscaped the entrances to the camp at Ruapehu Road and Andrews Drive and carried out the replanting at the Waiouru Army Museum since starting her work in Waiouru. Her landscape design work involves plant species selection and layout. Selecting the right plants for each situation is where Pauline's specialised knowledge i s important.

Choosing plants that will survive in the Waiouru climate is the biggest problem, says Pauline. She also looks at the impact the

plant will have in its situation. "Plants need to look good all year-round here rather than having just a seasonal impact," she says. The height and shape that the plant will

grow to has to suit each situation also, so trees and shrubs don't cause hazards or inconvenience. Colour is important in creating an impact. "We've planted all junipers at the camp entrances, all species

of different colours to create an aesthetically pleasing area," said Pauline. Plants are also selected for ease of maintenance. The junipers for example, will grow to cover the Turn page 2

Waiouru garden advice

From page 1 earth and will suppress weeds. Here layout i s important too. The plants have to be spaced so they have room to grow but be close enough to create a ground cover. They also need to be grouped together in their species. Scattered plants of the same colour have less impact than a group on the same specics, says Pauline. Most of the physical work in the planting programme is carried out by the Works staff, with Pauline supervising. This mcans once she has made her selection she lays out the seedlings where she wants them planted but the Works staff do the 'spade work'. Hcr ncw contract sees Pauline carrying on with this landscape work as well as oversecing thc lawn and garden maintcnance in the camp and housing area. This involves working closcly with the Works staff who now carry out the maintcnance of the sports fields, vcrges and garden arcas. Also, part of her job is to look at cost efficiency. This is mostly in the planning, with such things as style of

planting (such a s choosing weed suppressing plants) and choosing the best types of sprays and fertihzers. Fully utilizing the Waiouru nursery to propagate plants will also be a way to save money, by cutting down on the cost of b u y i n g seedlings, says Pauline. Her work has seen her assisting with the writing of the contract for the Works' grass cutting programme and will see her involved in the Pinus contorta eradication programme and noxious weeds work. This will mean helping to monitor the

weed control. Pauline's experience started with a Bachelor of Horticultural Science (a four year course) from Massey University and has seen her work in a numbcr of gardening jobs. She ran her o w n landscaping businesses in Hawkes Bay and Auckland and worked at Gordon Collier's Titoki Point Gardens, where she helped upgrade the hobby nursery to a commercial nursery. She travelled overseas, and worked at McQueen's Windsor Park, "The Gfcat Park," which is one of the best known gardens in England.