Patterson Border

The Patterson Border of New Zealand plants

by John Edgington

A resident of Mecklenburgh Square, Dr Derek Patterson (1922-2003), established the eastern border of plants native to New Zealand, including some rarely seen in Britain. A few are endemic to the Chatham Islands where Derek was at one time the islands’ physician.

The border is mainly evergreen, with splashes of colour from the flowers of Kowhai (Sophora), tree daisies (Brachyglottis, Olearia), Manuka or Tea Tree (Leptospermum), Poro-poro (Solanum laciniatum), Corokia, Hebe and New Zealand Iris (Libertia), from the leaves of Southern Beech (Nothofagus) and Pittosporum, and from bronzed grasses and sedges.

The border is maintained much as Derek left it. Many unusual and tender plants thrive in London’s micro-climate though moisture-lovers do less well in the dry soil beneath the dense canopy of Plane trees. Currently some 90 species are represented (look below for a full list) and these are augmented as the need arises to replace plants that succumb to drought or frost.

TREES AND SHRUBS

Alectryon excelsus Titoki, New Zealand oak
Aristotelia serrata Makomako, wineberry
Brachyglottis greyi  
Brachyglottis compacta  
Brachyglottis repanda Rangiora
Brachyglottis repanda x greyi Hybrid rangiora
Chordospartium muritai  
Clianthus puniceus Ngutu-kaka, red kowhai
Coprosma repens      Taupata, mirror plant
Coprosma repens ‘Pacific Night’
Coprosma repens ‘Painter’s Palette’
Coprosma repens ‘Pink Splendour’
Coprosma repens x C. propinqua (natural hybrid)
Coprosma rigida (x 3)  
Coprosma robusta Karamu
Coprosma robusta x C. propinqua (natural hybrid)
Cordyline australis Ti kouka, cabbage tree
Cordyline australis ‘Purpurea’
Corokia x cheesemanii =C. cotoneaster x C. buddleioides Korokio-tarangi hybrid
Dacrydium cupressinum Rimu, red pine
Dodonaea viscosa Akeake
Fuchsia x colensoi =F. excorticata x F. perscandens Bush fuchsia (natural hybrid)
Griselinia littoralis Kapuka, broadleaf
Hebe ‘Pink Payne’ or ‘La Seduisante’
Hebe salicifolia Koromiko
Hebe speciosa  
Hebe speciosa ‘Variegata’
*Hebe chathamica  
Hebe x  franciscana ‘Variegata’
Hoheria angustifolia Narrow-leaved ribbonwood
Hoheria lyallii Mountain ribbonwood
Hoheria populnea Houhere, lacebark
Hoheria populnea ‘Purpurea’
Leptospermum scoparium Manuka, tea tree
Leptospermum scoparium ‘Pink Cascade’
Lophomyrtis bullata x obcordata (natural hybrid)
Metrosideros umbellata Southern rata
Myrsine australis Mapou, Red matipo
Nothofagus fusca Red beech
Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides Mountain beech
Notospartium glabrescens Pink tree broom
Olearia ilicifolia Hakeke, mountain holly
Olearia avicenniifolia x O.moschata natural hybrid
Olearia paniculata Akiraho
Pittosporum anomalum  
Pittosporum crassifolium Karo
Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Country Park’
Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Variegatum’
*Pittosporum fairchildii Three Kings pittosporum
Plagianthus regius Manatu, ribbonwood
Podocarpus hallii Hall’s totara
Prumnopitys ferruginea Miro, brown pine
Pseudopanax chathamicus Chatham Island lancewood
Pseudopanax crassifolius Horoeka, lancewood
Pseudopanax discolor  
Pseudopanax ferox Toothed lancewood
Pseudopanax laetus  
Solanum laciniatum Poroporo
Sophora microphylla Kowhai
Sophora microphylla f Chathamica Chatham Island kowhai
Sophora microphylla f Molloyi Stephens Island kowhai
Sophora prostrata Prostrate kowhai
Sophora ‘Dragon’s Gold’

 

HERBACEOUS PLANTS AND GROUND-COVER

Aciphylla crosby-smithii Crosby-Smith’s Spaniard
Aciphylla subflabellata Fan-like Spaniard
Arthropodium cirratum Rengarenga, rock lily
Astelia chathamica Chatham Islands Astelia
Carex testacea  
Carex trifida  
Cortaderia richardii Toetoe
Dianella intermedia Rena, blueberry
Euphorbia glauca Maori spurge
Geranium traversii Chatham Island geranium
Haloragis erecta  
Leptinella squalida  
Libertia grandiflora NZ iris
Libertia ixioides NZ iris
Libertia peregrinans NZ iris
Microsorum pustulatum Hound’s tongue fern
Phormium chathamica Chatham Islands flax
Phormium ‘Tricolor’
Uncinia uncinata Red tussock sedge