The ancient giants among us

Sometimes, we can’t see the wood for the trees. As humans, we often don’t reach much more than 2m tall and at these heights it’s easy to focus on life at eye level or below. Obviously, we need to look where we’re going. However, when you visit Dunedin Botanic Garden a good portion of the plants are growing well above eye level so there are times you need to stop and look up.

The botanic garden is a living museum, bursting with plants, including hundreds of trees. At 156 years old, many existing trees were planted shortly after the garden was established.

These trees have their own special features, valued for their rarity, source, age, location, conservation status and beauty. Behind the scenes, this information is recorded with detailed records kept of their history and life.

The stately broad-leaved lime tree, Tilia platyphyllos, that dominates the west side of the lower garden on the Great King St boundary is estimated to be 140 years old. This tree has a canopy almost as wide as it is high, creating a shady haven that impacts significantly on the landscape.

In 2008, it was measured at more than 12m in height, with a circumference of 5.21m. This is indeed a significant tree.

The next time you visit the botanic garden, forget for a moment the minutiae of your modern life, your job and studies, pause for a moment, look up at the trees and consider a different view.

Garden Life is produced by Dunedin Botanic Garden. For further information contact Marianne Groothuis.