Coprosma pseudocuneata is endemic to the North, South and Stewart Islands and is found from the Raukumara range in the North Island of New Zealand south as far as Stewart Island at an altitude range of 240 –1525m asl. Its habitat is montane to lower sublapine forest and scrub. Coprosma pseudocuneata is a densely leafy erect open-branched variable shrub up to 3 m tall with stout branches. Its young branchlets are more or less hairy with long narrow dark green leaves or yellow green with short broad leaves, clustered on short hairless stalks. It has solitary light yellow flowers from December to January and its fruits appear February till May. The oblong 5–6 mm long fruits are usually red, orange-red, orange, pale purple, pale yellow or yellowish white.

Metrosideros umbellata, Southern rata or ironwood is endemic to the North, South, Stewart and Auckland Islands. In the North Island it is present locally from Te Paki south to Mt Pirongia, the northern Kaimai Ranges (Ngatamahinerua) and Mt Manuoha (Te Urewera National Park). In the South Island from Durville Island south and to Fiordland, with a mainly westerly distribution, most of Canterbury and northern Otago, but absent from Marlborough. Also common on Stewart and the Auckland Islands. It is not threatened, but however, rather uncommon in the North Island, and at some sites it is locally threatened by possum browse.  North Island plants are genetically distinct from South Island plants but the differences cannot be matched to morphology. All recent southern rata collections made from the Tararua Ranges are the hybrid M. robusta x M. umbellata. A few photographs taken in the 1930s from the Francis Ridge, Southern Tararua Ranges may have been genuine M. umbellata but the species cannot be found there now. Other northern Tararua records of M. umbellata appear to be based on M. robusta. It is a beautiful, very slow growing specimen tree which should be more widely planted in locations where conditions are suitable, forms a dense shrub which grows to small, very slow growing tree 3 - 6m, sometimes up to 18m high. It is usually found in lowland to mountain regions and occassionally in subalpine forest and scrubland from sealevel to 1060m asl. It produces blood red flowers from November to March, but trees can take many years before they will flower. It will grow in most well drained soils and once established will tolerate dryness (water during dry weather until established). Frost hardy.

Anemanthele lessoniana, hunangamoho, gossamer grass or wind grass is endemic to the North Island, from North Auckland, Waikato and southern third of the island; and in the South Island from Nelson and Marlborough south, mainly in the east. Also occurs as a cultivation escape in some places, e.g., Auckland City. This genus of one species that is confined to New Zealand is found from sea level to montane forest, forest margins, scrub and on cliff faces and associated talus, but is not common. A medium sized grass that forms bold clumps, up to 80cm tall and 1m across has flowing or drooping stems and foliage. When grown in open situations the foliage has a yellowish to golden brown colour, but in the shade (see photo), such as under trees it is usually green. It's flowering stems have a rosy reddish hue, and are very graceful and give the plant a very light, feathery appearance. When viewed against the light the whole plant appears to shimmer with a light crimson halo, and after rain or a heavy dew it can be transformed to a thing of beauty when the small water droplets cling to every part. This spectacular grass is useful as a single specimen, or in a group as a ground-cover to bold effect. As a forest plant, it is ideal for areas of light shade under trees, but is equally happy in open situations once established, is suprisingly drought tolerant. It will not tolerate persistent salt-laden winds. It self seeds well in the garden.

 Anaphalioides bellidioides, Hells Bells, or New Zealand Everlasting Daisy is endemic to the North, South and Stewart Islands. It is wide spread in mountain regions from East Cape to Mt Taranaki southwards. It is found from sea-level to 1600m asl, in scrub, tussock grassland, herbfields, river-beds stony places, road banks and rocky outcrops. It is a soft herbaceous densely mat-forming evergreen perennial growing to 60cm across and 15cm high, with slender stems, that are cottony-hairy when young, becoming smooth and reddish. The leaves are 5-10mm long, obovate to narrowly, round tipped and mucronate (leaf apex tipped with short abrupt point on the end of the midvein). The under side of the leaves are white felted. It has white strawflower, daisy-like everlasting flower heads (1.5-3cm across) that appear from October to February. They grow in sunny moist, gravelly soil, but can also grow quite well in drier semi-shade. It is a worthwhile plant that has great use in the garden as a groundcover, or as edging along a pathway, especially in a rock garden, when allowed to trail down over rocks.

CREATE A  WATER-WISE GARDEN!

 The main focus behind creating a water wise garden is to create a garden which is both attractive and thrives with minimal water. Outdoor water use makes up a large percentage of residential water consumption (especially in the summer), and research indicates great savings can be made if water wise gardening techniques are applied. Water wise gardening means thinking about things like watering techniques, mulching, using organic material, plant selection and design.

Watering Techniques

Your garden plants probably need less water than you think. Watering little and often does not help, as the water does not penetrate deep into the ground and only encourages plants to develop shallow rooting systems (near the soil surface). One good soak during a 10 day period is more beneficial than a light watering daily.

You can find out if you need to water by digging a hole a spades depth and examining the soil, only watering if it feels dry to touch.

Water only in the cool of the morning or evening to prevent evaporation, use a watering can (great exercise), or use a hand-held hose, making sure that the plant gets the water where it needs it not running off.

When planting put a saucer shaped dip around the base of the plant so that when you water it pools around the plant.

Mulches

It helps if you stop the soil from drying out in the first place, by evaporation by the wind or sun. A mulch is simply a layer of material placed on the surface to stop weeds from flourishing, prevents water evaporation from the soil improving the condition of the soil.

Mulches can be made from various materials, such as bark chips, gravel, pea straw. We recommend a good bark mulch for most native plants. The thicker the layer of mulch the more effective it is, with one of 5-10 cm making a huge difference to water retention.

Organic Matter

Water retention in soils with organic matter is greater, use products such as compost or Sphagnum Moss when planting.  These products all help to hold more moisture in the soil.

Design

Use dry hardy plants, and use plants that have similar soil and water needs together in the same garden beds

Plant Trees or Shrubs suitable for dry places

There are a wide range of plants that will survive a dry summer with minimal watering (once established), consider using some of the following species:

Brachyglottis spp                                                      Olearia avicenniaefolia                          Carmichaelia spp                                                      Olearia coriacea               

Coprosma spp and cultivars                                     Olearia lineata ‘dartonii’

Corokia spp and cultivars                                         Olearia macrodonta

Cordyline spp and cultivars                                      Olearia nummularifolia

Corynocarpus laevigatus                                          Olearia oleifolia

Dodonaea viscosa                                                    Olearia paniculata

Griselinia spp                                                            Olearia solandrii

Halocarpus bidwillii                                                   Olearia traversii

Hebe spp and cultuvars                                            Pachystegia insignis

Helichrysum coralioides                                            Phormium spp and cultivar

Helichrysum intermedium                                         Pittosporum anomalum                            Helichrysun parvifolium                                             Pittosporum crassifolium and cvs

Heliohebe ‘Hagley Park’                                            Pittosporum eugenioides and cvs

Heliohebe hulkeana                                                   Linum monogynum

Lophomyrtus spp                                                       Pseudopanax arboreus

Metrosideros  excelsa                                                Pseudopanax crassifolius

Myoporum laetum                                                      Pseudopanax ferox

Sophora spp and cultivars    

                

Coprosma linariifolia, mikimiki or yellow wood is endemic  to the North and South Islands, from the Hawkes Bay and Manawatu, where it is somewhat local, and is widespread east of the Main Divide in the South Island. It grows from sea-level to 900m asl in lowland to montane forest, scrub, and sometimes shrubland. A very hardy, fast growing tall shrub to small tree up to 6-8m tall, with definite trunk that can have rather smooth to rough fawn-grey bark, with inner bark that is bright yellow to deep orange-yellow in colour. Its flexible branches are slender and dark brown and downy when young, and it has long, narrow, straight, sometimes curved, leathery, dark green glossy leaves that are paler underneath. It prefers open situation, has small flower in November to December followed by translucent white oblong drupes that are often flecked with blue or blue-black, or sometimes wholly black from May.

Fuscospora fusca, syn Nothofagus fusca, tawhairanui, or red beech is endemic to the North and South Islands, and is found from Te Aroha and Rotorua southwards in the North Island, but is localized north of East Cape, and is absent from Mount Taranaki. It is found throughout the South Island. It grows in lowland to mountain forest from sea-level to 1060m asl. It is a tall forest tree that grows up to 30m tall with a dark brown to black trunk (on older trees) up to 1.8m or more in diameter, bearing masses of mid to dark green, sharply-toothed leaves, that can have a  reddish tinge in winter, and also have a small hairy pit at the junction of the veins. It flowers between September and January, and the small flowers and fruit are usually inconspicuous, but change the colour of tree when in flower. Its wood possesses an even, compact, and straight grain that is red-coloured. In the past the wood has been used for wharf and bridge construction, for railway sleeper and for house building, but today is used mainly for making furniture or for more decorative work and woodturning.