SECTIONS

Life and Shade

The MixMay 30

A frond indeed

It’s a wonder we’re not called "Fernies" instead of "Kiwis", writes Mark Clark.
A frond indeed
A frond indeed
The MixApril 11

Never a face so pleasingly graced

China looms large in today’s world. With 18% of the earth’s human population and a similar share of the global GDP, it has the largest land area of any country except Russia.
Never a face so pleasingly graced
Never a face so pleasingly graced
The MixFebruary 28

Yellow, tough and beautiful

Now that the school year is well under way, hands up those who know the Maori word for the colour yellow. Your hand should be up too, because you know it, even if you think you don’t.
Yellow, tough and beautiful
Yellow, tough and beautiful
The MixJanuary 31

Appreciate, mourn the classics

Quod est ad finem est era. It’s the end of an era in education, writes Mark Clark.
Appreciate, mourn the classics
Appreciate, mourn the classics
The MixNovember 29

Matai precious survivors

Lowland survivors might finally be getting a break.
Matai precious survivors
Matai precious survivors
The MixNovember 1

Stately tree waves the flag

It’s surprising how few national flags feature the great trees of the world, writes Mark Clark.
Stately tree waves the flag
Stately tree waves the flag
The MixSeptember 20

Stickman pine’s straight lines

Zealandia has been in the science news quite a lot recently - and I don’t mean the wildlife sanctuary in Wellington or that fine lady who is supposed to symbolise New Zealand, writes Mark Clark.
Stickman pine’s straight lines
Stickman pine’s straight lines
The MixAugust 2

Bearer of berries

John Wilson Ocean Drive is a great place to enjoy some fresh air and a sweeping view of the ocean. But what are all those dark green mounds hugging the sand dunes and lining the road?
Bearer of berries
Bearer of berries
The MixJune 7

Fig tree thriving in South Dunedin

What interesting plants did you discover during your lockdown walks?
Fig tree thriving in South Dunedin
Fig tree thriving in South Dunedin
The MixMay 10

Star of rags to riches tale

Manuka is the star of a well-known rags-to-riches story in the NZ plant world, writes Mark Clark.
Star of rags to riches tale
Star of rags to riches tale
The MixMarch 22

Reminder of a far away isle

Now and then someone says ‘‘from Cape Reinga to Bluff’’ or ‘‘from Kaitaia to Bluff’’, as if New Zealand ends at Bluff in the South. The 400 or so New Zealanders on Stewart Island/Rakiura would not be amused, writes Mark Clark.
Reminder of a far away isle
Reminder of a far away isle
The MixFebruary 23

The good oil on olive trees

For a while there it looked like a conspiracy. So many maps of the world did not show New Zealand, writes columnist Mark Clark.
The good oil on olive trees
The good oil on olive trees
The MixJanuary 19

Lighting up the South

The southern rata, with its fire-bright colour, is most at home in the cold and damp.
Lighting up the South
Lighting up the South
The MixDecember 1

Giants of the Andes

It’s the Tyrannosaurus rex of trees. Who hasn’t felt a primal twinge of terror as they’ve looked up at a large monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) with its ferocious dark green "teeth"? We feel as though the lowest branches could swing round, pick us up, and devour us whole if we dare look away for a few seconds.
Giants of the Andes
Giants of the Andes
The MixOctober 27

Lemonwoods on our streets

Fair of bark and light of leaf, the lemonwood is the blonde of the bush, writes Mark Clark. 
Lemonwoods on our streets
Lemonwoods on our streets
The MixSeptember 22

A tree for all occasions

The Holy Grail of a perfect tree for southern gardens is one that doesn't need pruning and doesn't grow too tall, with beautiful flowers, edible fruit, interesting leaves, and colourful bark, writes Mark Clark.
A tree for all occasions
A tree for all occasions
The MixJuly 21

What tree says 'NZ' best?

For Pacific islands in the tropics, it's the coconut palm.For Australia, it would have to be the gum tree. So what tree says "New Zealand" like no other, asks Mark Clark.
What tree says 'NZ' best?
What tree says 'NZ' best?
The MixJune 16

'Aliens' worth a closer look

Anyone who wants to make a movie about an alien planet doesn't have to design their own weird and wonderful plants - there are plenty of bizarre-looking plants right here on Earth, writes Mark Clark.
'Aliens' worth a closer look
'Aliens' worth a closer look
The MixMay 19

Our own gothic fantasy setting

Sadly for Game of Thrones fans, we don't have many medieval castles, churches and cathedrals in NZ as a background for any gothic fantasies, but we do have dark, brooding structures with pointed "spires", "turrets" and "battlements".
Our own gothic fantasy setting
Our own gothic fantasy setting
The MixApril 21

Buccaneers of NZ flora

Clips of Dunedin's snow-covered hills and icy roads are a time-honoured winter tradition on New Zealand television - as are regular jibes from northerners about the city's "fresh'' weather.
Buccaneers of NZ flora
Buccaneers of NZ flora
The MixMarch 17

As lovely as a gum

There are some lovely specimens of Albany red gums in Dunedin, writes Mark Clark.
As lovely as a gum
As lovely as a gum
The MixJanuary 27

A touch of tropics

Sun-loving exotics from much warmer climes are putting down roots here in the South, observes Mark Clark. 
A touch of tropics
A touch of tropics
The MixDecember 13

Symbolism serves two cultures

Some trees come with their own decisions, writes Mark Clark. 
Symbolism serves two cultures
Symbolism serves two cultures
The MixNovember 18

A barren fruit of colonisation

The Canary Island Date Palm is rooted in the colonisation story, writes Mark Clark. 
A barren fruit of colonisation
A barren fruit of colonisation
The MixOctober 14

A less laid-back local

A tree of many names can still be a little anonymous, writes Mark Clark. 
A less laid-back local
A less laid-back local