Fernery and Display Houses

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Our Displays and Collections

ORCHIDS ARE A HIGHLIGHT OF OUR COLLECTION

Changing Displays

We have ever changing seasonal displays which incorporate our vast plant collections (50,000 plants and counting) and seasonal attractions.

Displays

We also create innovative, colourful and educational themed A Fernery display. displays to educate and inspire our visitors.

Go on a virtual tour of the Fernery and Display Houses.

Apart from House 1, every plant in the displays is in a container from the smallest in a 5cm pot up to the largest in 100L pots.

Watering is a meticulous and time consuming task as all the plants in the display houses, propagation area and glasshouses are hand watered due to their different needs and the fact that they are potted individually. In the height of summer this task could take one person eight hours to complete

There is an irrigation system around the tops of the fern banks in the lower houses and the outside nursery area.

Plant Collections

The Fernery and Display Houses have a number of plant collections that have been significant over the last 80 years these include:

Native ferns.
Orchids - we have the largest collection of Disa Orchids in New Zealand.
Begonias, Tuberous, Cane and Rhizomatous.
Fuchsias.
Bulbs including Eucomis, Veltheimia and Aroides.
Bromeliads
Carnivorous plants.
Native trees and shrubs.
Coleus.
Gesneriades, Stretocarpus and Achimenes.
Vireya Rhododendrons.

See our Flickr page for more photos of our plants and displays.

Taranaki-Bred Plants

Pleasures of Taranaki is a permanent display that showcases Taranaki-bred plants, with many being created by some of the region’s most highly respected names.

The first display features magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons bred by plantsman Felix Jury and the iconic nursery Duncan and Davies.

Each display lasts about six weeks before being replaced by a new collection of Taranaki-bred plants.

Seasonal Highlights

Spring

Cymbidium orchids, Azaleas, Streptocarpus, Vireya Rhododendrons, spring bulbs, Maples, perennials, Clivia, hanging baskets and Cinerarias.

Summer

Disa Orchids, Streptocarpus, Scadoxis, Tuberous Begonias, Eucomis, Hibiscus, Lilies, Gladioli, Perennial Lobelia, Fuchsias, succulents and hanging baskets.

Autumn

Cymbidium and Masdevillia Orchids, Vireya Rhododendrons, Zygocactus, Cyclamen, Ericas, Smithiana, Bromeliads and A Fernery display. Begonias.

Winter

Cymbidium, Zygopetalum, Laelia, Dendrobium and Paphiopedilum Orchids, Cineraria, Azalea, Pieris, Helleborus, Clivia, Cyclamen and Bromeliads.