Species Gardens

This collection is a representative collection of rhododendrons species, best suited to the Kimbolton climate and developed over many years. The first plantings of note began in 1998 with thirteen plants placed into newly created beds. Species material was sourced from several talented plants-people, who collected seeds or scion material, grew and nurtured plants and generously gifted them to Heritage Park.

Ron Gordon, trip leader of many rhododendron expeditions to England, China, Nepal, and Sikkim, collected seed in the wild and encouraged the setting up of the species garden at Heritage Park. Jeremy Thomson and Sashal Dayal collected wild seed from Nagaland, Burma and the Yunnan and many of the large leaf species are the result of their botanising in wild places. Brent Murdoch, nurseryman from Dunedin, had a large selection of species, both from seed collected in the wild and from carefully selected sources of good true material from America and Britain. Sue and Lindsay Davies also offered plants from their extensive collection amassed at Palmerston North and continue today to add to our growing species collection.

Due to the variation in leaf formation, flowers and size, species add an exciting difference to a garden, and can be a challenge to grow. There is much celebrating if one flowers after a wait of many years.
The Heritage Park Trust is deeply committed to a conservation role, as some species locations have been destroyed due to overgrazing, deforestation and the pressure of population growth.