The original gates remain but George Scott plans to replace
them. Photo by Gillian Vine.
George Scott's grandmother, Euphemia, never threw
anything away, something for which George and his wife, Mary,
are grateful.
Family papers include not only a coloured concept plan drawn
up when Alfred Buxton was commissioned to lay out the garden
in 1937, but also a black-and-white drawing of where plants
were to be sited.
Perhaps most important, though, are plant lists and receipts
for landscaping (551-8s-5d) and plants (160-1s-9d), as they
give an invaluable insight into trees, shrubs and flowers
favoured by the man considered to be New Zealand's most
influential landscape gardener.
As well as the early documents, there are photographs taken
by Frank Neate, one of the three men who worked with Buxton
on the project, while George Scott has photographs taken when
he was a child, including some with the rose garden in the
background.
Four generations of Scotts have farmed the property, George's
great-grandfather having bought it in 1910 when he moved from
a farm nearer Waikoikoi.
The original house was replaced in 1935 and Buxton was
engaged to lay out a garden suitable for the new home, built
on a rise with splendid views to the west.
The project was expensive: George estimated it probably cost
his grandfather the equivalent of two farm workers' wages for
a year, no light undertaking when the country was just
emerging from the Great Depression.
Euphemia was a very enthusiastic gardener, so may well have
had some input into the choice of smaller plants such as
roses, but apart from that, it seems the landscaper was given
a free hand, for the garden is typical of Buxton's work, with
a shelter belt on two sides, a semicircular drive, specimen
trees, an orchard, an area for soft fruit (currants and
raspberries), vegetable beds and a rockery close to the
house.
The rockery is significant for two reasons: it reflects
Buxton's increasing use of the medium in his landscaping
work, and the rock was from the Pukerau area.
Mary Scott understands the rocks, many of which have fossils
in them, came from the farm itself.
Some fine trees remain, including a scarlet oak, a large
copper beech, a pair of silver birches by the entrance gates
and a pair of weeping plums.
Beech trees on the Scott list cost seven shillings and
sixpence each, the same price as the rowans used to screen
the orchard.
Changes are inevitable in a garden and the Scotts' is no
exception.
Because Buxton seemed to have underestimated the size some of
the trees would reach, it has been necessary to take out
several crowding the house, and George believes the
ornamental wooden gates will have to go, as they are very
dilapidated and no longer able to keep out stock.
But the essence of the garden remains and Alfred Buxton would
still recognise his groundwork.
About Buxton
• Born in England, Alfred William Buxton (1872-1950) came to
New Zealand when he was about 14 and was apprenticed to a
Christchurch nurseryman before setting up his own nursery and
landscaping business in 1893.
• He vigorously promoted the idea of a landscape designer
being as important as a building's architect and was
responsible for laying out more than 500 gardens, a
significant number in Otago and Southland.
• Do you have a Buxton garden, know of one in Otago or
Southland, or have photographs of one? If so, please contact
Gillian Vine by emailing gillian.vine@odt.co.nz or
writing to her at Otago Daily Times features
department, PO Box 181, Dunedin 9054.
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