The small resort town of St Andrew's is now the home to the only Wollemi Pine in Canada. "Pericles" as it has been named (son of parent plant "Hercules") was bought at the original Sotheby's auction for CAN$1500. It stands at only 2 metre's tall, a mere baby when considered against the normal height of 40m+.

This Wollemi pine is being kept in Kingsbrae Garden which is open to the public and is on show during the summer season which opened May 19. "Pericles" will be wintered in a greenhouse.

Source: The Vancouver Sun

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The more I garden the more I become infatuated with trees and the more it disturbs me when someone chops one down without a legitimate reason (removing it to make way for an ornamental weeping mulberry is not a legitimate reason). It's the benefits of having a tree (or trees) in your garden that far outweighs removing them.

So what about planting a giant sequoia tree in your garden? If you have the space and you're prepared to be patient as it grows then I believe you will find the effort worthwhile.

I saw my first sequoia tree in an arboretum in Pemberton and was so impressed with the look, and obviously their giant size, that I considered that one day I would like to plant one in my own yard. As trees go they're definitely in my Top 4 of all time.

The giant sequoia tree is a native of the Sierra Nevada, California and while it grows naturally in many areas there are three places where they are protected; the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park and the Giant Sequoia National Monument. They are the largest trees in the world, certainly dwarfing our own large Karri's, and can grow between 50-85m (150-280ft) with a 5-7m (16-23ft) diameter.

The largest living sequoia is the giant General Sherman that resides in Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park. It has been recorded at 83.8m (274.9ft) and is estimated at being the weight of approximately 10 blue whales - NB: Careful where you park your car. They are a conifer and are one of only three species of redwoods.

Continue reading "Planting a giant redwood Sequoia tree" »

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All the fashion trendsetters out there keep an eye out for the garden fashion accessory of the 21st century - a Wollemi Pine. These highly endangered conifers were once believed to be extinct until a hiker in a National Park, hidden in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney stumbled across a grove of them. His find has set the horticultural world into a headspin not seen since Sydney heard the news that they would host the 2000 Olympic Games.

What's so fascinating about these plants? Horticulturalists and scientists have dated this tree's age back to the historic Jurassic period presumably 200 million years ago. While I don't agree with their dating methods (or their view on evolution) I am impressed that this relic tree has survived a metropolis of Sydney growing around it and not been found until now.

There are less than 100 mature trees growing in the wild now with the largest growing to over 40m (130 feet) tall with a girth of about 1.2m (4 feet) wide.

Continue reading "The Wollemi Pine" »

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