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Twelve pōhutakawa and three kowhai trees have been planted at Mangawhai Museum following the recent loss of two Norfolk Pines along Molesworth Drive.
To fill the void left by the iconic trees, the museum held a community planting day, where eight volunteers outfitted in high-vis, braved the morning drizzle and cold wind on October 6.
The project was led by museum grounds and maintenance coordinator, and passionate gardener Grant Mitchell, with plants generously donated by Mangawhai Natives, who also sponsored the museum’s recent standout exhibit, The Bug Room.
The 50-year-old Norfolk pines were removed to allow for road widening outside the new Gull Service Station.
Museum manager Angela Cook said that as the trees came down, many people in the museum team shared the same idea about the need to have planting under its control, adding trees inside the garden instead of by the roadside.
“So now, no matter how that road develops in the coming years, we’ll still have trees in this landscape.”
The planting project held a special significance for Mitchell, who helped open the new museum more than a decade ago when he was a board member.
“It’s really beautiful for Grant to be involved,” Cook says. “He has an incredible garden himself and this project is his way of showing his love and care for the museum and the community. For Grant, planting the new natives is a legacy.”
