Nature’s ornaments in time for Christmas

We are very lucky in the southern hemisphere to have an ‘upside-down’ Christmas - it is the beginning of summer, and we revel in being outdoors with family and friends. Traditionally we decorate conifers as a part of the festive season - fir, pine and spruce, but we get a little extra adornment that our northern winter friends lack.

Being the growing season, conifers have put on new shoots by the time Christmas arrives. This is often an attractive lighter shade of green than the mature needles, giving off a sense of freshness and new beginning.

It is also time for many to be producing seed - junipers look festive in full fruit and Pinus mugo is bearing both male (catkin like) and new female cones. Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii, yields ovoid, pendulous cones which hang off the branches like nature’s ornaments.

Another part of the magic is in the fragrance, with notes of citrus, pine and wood - brush your hand over the new growth of a spruce, pine or fir and be transported to the enchanting world of Christmas.

When you have eaten too much over the holiday break, come and walk it off in Dunedin Botanic Garden. Admire the cones and breathe in the scent as your hand grazes over new foliage in the conifer cultivar collection above the rock garden or wander amongst the mature conifers in the arboretum further up the hill.