Introducing a small selection of native species and cultivars that I and SO have photographed, mostly at Dunedin Botanic Garden unless otherwise stated.
Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Tom Thumb’, bred by a nurseryman at Clinton in South Otago. Makes a gorgeous garden plant. Its a small tree with dark purple foliage that’s almost black. In the spring the new shoots are green and it looks quite startling!
A Libertia cultivar.
Caldcluvia rosifolia. This lowland forest tree is beautiful with its feathery flowers. Comes from Northland where it is much warmer but appears to be doing very well in the botanic garden here.
Cordyline ‘Red Fountain’. Garden cultivar. Rich red colour and very showy.
Cordyline ‘Red Fountain’. Trying to give you an idea of size here. I’ve never seen them as big and dense as this!
Updated photo of the kowhai tree (Sophora sp.) below our house. The flowers have gone really golden!
Hebe… I’m assuming this would be Hebe speciosa. Very red-purple flowers. Hebes are now called Veronicas but don’t get me started on that … Very handsome plant with its purple stems and large purple leaf buds.
Dracophyllum longifolium. Shrub or small tree. This is really included for my reference, good to have a photo of the flowers. Its a rather stiff grass-tree. Quite unusual.
Entrance to Dunedin Botanic Garden. Plant names given below.
Lophomyrtus x ralphii ‘Kathryn’. There’s a good range of Lophomyrtus available.
Pseudowintera colorata ‘Red Leopard’ bred by Denis Hughes of Blue Mountain Nurseries at Tapanui, South Otago. Pepper tree. Beautiful red colour. Can be trimmed and grown as hedges. Enjoys ongoing popularity.
Photo doesn’t do justice to the colour of this tree. Beautiful red-purple colour that looks especially lovely when the sun is shining through it. Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’ commonly called Purple Ake Ake. The normal form is green. Both are lovely trees.
Two photos of native grass in flower.
Red Admiral butterfly on exotic flowers at Larnach Castle Garden.
Photos by Exploring Colour and SO (2017)
Exploring Colour 
What a beautiful selection of extraordinary forms and colours!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Pete! It’s a pleasure to share some of our lovely native species and cultivars. I guessed that many of our plants would be unknown to overseas readers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely selection! I’m interested in the ‘Tom Thumb plant, another one for the wish list! ☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great Helen! You wouldn’t be disappointed with ‘Tom Thumb’ and I’m pretty sure it would be available in the UK.
LikeLike