The Sister Cities Gardens in , a Millennium project J.O. Taylor1 MBE, AHRIH, NDH (Hons), Kew Dip

The Beginning Knowing the limitations of space chairmanship of Mr Ian Leggat, within the Christchurch Botanic Chancellor, University of Canterbury. Gardens, my early association with Ms Rae Finlay (Knutson) was The Christchurch City Council set these Gardens led me to suggest appointed Director of the group, up a steering committee in 1994 to that a park featuring gardens of the which was named Turning Point investigate and report on proposals six Sister Cities of Christchurch 2000. Eleven different major projects to celebrate the Millennium. The year would be worthwhile idea. Particular were now on the drawing board for 2000 also coincided with the 150th emphasis would need to be placed Turning Point 2000 to consider. anniversary of the founding of on acceptable design and Prominent among these were Canterbury. The Trust Bank appropriate botanical content, and Community Trust provided core a suitable location within the city funding for the City Council to parks system would have to be formalise, control and oversee the found. The idea received a numerous projects and events that sympathetic audience from the City were being planned, and leaders Council committees of our Sister from a wide range of educational, Cities: Christchurch (England), cultural, historical, arts and sporting Adelaide (Australia), Kurashiki (Japan), Songpa Gu (Korea), Seattle This pergola in the Kurashiki Garden will be (U.S.A.) and Gansu Province (China). covered with Wisteria sinensis. A Sister Cities Gardens Park working committee was set up, which I projects on the beautification of chaired. Canterbury Highways, conservation in the Reserves, the construction of a waka, a sculpture for Cathedral Square, and the Sister Cities Gardens. Turning Point 2000 assessed the likely combined costs of the various projects, and an application for funds was submitted to the Canterbury Community Trust. The outcome was The lych gate at the entrance to the Christchurch (UK) Garden. that the City Council received 3.1 million dollars from the Trust, and organisations were invited to these funds were subsequently meetings to provide their input. Grandfather and Grandmother at the Songpa- allocated to approved projects, of Representatives of garden clubs, Gu Garden. which the Sister Cities Gardens was nursery businesses, the Royal New one. A proposal for the development Zealand Institute of Horticulture, the Funding of the Sister Cities Gardens had been Canterbury Horticultural Society and prepared in 1998 and presented to the Christchurch Beautifying The overall cost of the many a hearing of the Finance Committee Association formed a working Millennium proposals that were being of the Council [1]. The proposal was committee to discuss possible brought forward became the next favourably received and a grant of Millennium activities of a horticultural major consideration. The City Council $250,000 was approved for the initial nature. set up a planning group under the stages of the development.

1 9 Karitane Drive, Cashmere, Christchurch 8002; [email protected]

4 Garden Journal, 2003, Vol.6 (1) Site selection from some local residents of the plan catering for large numbers of school to establish exotic plantings within parties as well as local and the Quarry Park. Some preferred that international tour groups. The park The City Council Parks Planning native plants only be used, despite is also proving to be very popular Department offered five sites within the park already being studded with with families and casual visitors, who the city for consideration as the many exotic trees from a variety of come to experience the impressive location of the Sister Cities Gardens. countries. A public hearing regarding views and uniqueness of the site. These were the Styx Mill Reserve, a change of use to the management There are estimated to be up to 4,000 Nunwick Park, Curletts Road plan for the park received approval visitors per week in fine weather. Reserve, Halswell Quarry Park and [2]. Pathways, parking spaces, picnic Reserve. In the selection tables and public toilets have been process a defined set of criteria for installed, and several outstanding the requirements of the international Halswell Quarry walks, such as Crater Rim Walk, have gardens was followed. Suitable soils, been laid out. drainage, access, site microclimates In brief, the Halswell Quarry opened and location were given high ratings. in 1850 to provide road metal and Halswell Quarry Park met these very building construction stone for the Early developments closely, but there was disapproval expanding city of Christchurch [3]. Examples of buildings using Halswell and programme stone are the Canterbury Museum, launch the Provincial Council building, the old Sydenham Post Office, and the After site inspections within the Sign of the Takahe. The Halswell Halswell Quarry Park to consider the Quarry Company was formed in 1890 best location for each of the six and it became a public company in gardens, a master plan was drawn 1901. This company went into up by Mr Dennis Preston, Landscape liquidation in 1925 and the Architect, City Design. Each garden A seat of special significance for the Seattle Garden created by Doug Neil. Christchurch City Council purchased was designed to occupy the quarry for £31,800. With the approximately 0.8ha. After perusal adjoining farmland (30.8ha), which of the plans by the various was purchased early in the 1970s to committees, each plan was provide separation of possible forwarded to the mayors of our Sister residential subdivision to the north Cities for their review, comment and of the quarry, the total land is 54ha. suggestions. All plans were duly After 140 years of productivity, the returned with very few amendments reserves of usable rock were being suggested. exhausted, and in1990 the quarry was designated a public reserve. Mr Included in the planning process was John Moore became groundsman- the development of approximately caretaker in 1992, and in 1995 he 11ha for a Canterbury Native Plant Australian seed capsules in a striking setting became a member of the City for the entrance to the Adelaide Garden. garden to be located principally on Council ranger service. In 1996, the the flat land to the west adjoining City Council transferred the Quarry Kennedy’s Bush Road. Surveyors from the Roading to the Parks Unit. and engineers were involved in At this time John Moore became developing a small lake that served responsible for the overall as a water catchment from the management of activities within the adjoining hillsides. To assist with the Quarry Park. cost of this work an application was lodged with the New Zealand Halswell Quarry Park has become Lotteries Grants Board, and a grant one of the Christchurch City’s of $61,000 was received. The Canterbury Native Plant Garden. principal outdoor education facilities

New Zealand Garden Journal, 2003, Vol.6 (1) 5 A site coordinator for the project, Mr different way. For example, the now living in Christchurch, did the Ron Williams, was appointed in Christchurch Sister City Garden is carving. Steps leading to an November 1998 to oversee the layout located up from the Halswell stone impressive area for seating identify of paths, carry out planting and house built for Mr Paterson when he the Adelaide Sister City Garden, generally assist in the developmental arrived from Scotland in 1925 to located on a dry, hilly site. Striking work in association with the Park manage the quarry. An attractive lych art work mounted on stone walling Ranger, Mr John Moore. In the early gate has been installed as an depicts Australian plants, such as days, hares and rabbits proved to entrance to the Christchurch Garden, Eucalyptus, Grevillea and Hakea. be a serious problem and many with the pathway completed and Apart from the planting of appropriate plants were lost. Netting cages were nearby stone walls restored. trees in the Gansu Province Sister placed around many of the plants, City Garden, a proposal for the and a lot of this protection is still in An early supporter of the Songpa- development of an elaborate Chinese place today. Gu Sister City Garden, Mr Charlie gate and Courtyard is now being Lee, organised the introduction of finalised [4]. Mr Roy Edwards, Lincoln University, several specially made granite prepared comprehensive lists of carvings from Korea. At the entrance The large Canterbury Native Plant indigenous plants for each of the six to the garden are two statues, Garden is laced with wandering gardens. The design of the individual donated by Jeju-do Province, pathways. Where low, wet areas are gardens was carefully completed, depicting grandfather and dominant in this generally flat site, but obtaining trees and shrubs grandmother. Also two impressive ornamental bridges allow for easy indigenous to each geographical area and colourful 3m tall “Jangseung” movement. The feature lake that has of the Sister Cities was fraught with or guardian poles have been erected been formed is now attracting much difficulties. Mr Joe Cartman, City in a prominent position overlooking bird life back to the park. Council horticulturist, inquired the garden to the west. A stone throughout the country for the plants lantern, “Suk Deung”, was dedicated In the last three weeks before the with limited success. An early by Songpa-Gu mayor, Lee Yoo Taek official opening day, there was a flurry objective was to plant the largest at the official opening ceremony. The of activity to bring all of the Sister trees obtainable in order to establish Korean Veterans Association unveiled Cities Gardens up to top condition. the character of each garden, as well a Memorial Bridge within the garden Two volunteer groups of 26 members as to provide some limited shade. on 26 July 2003 to mark the end of of the Canterbury Horticultural the Korean War . Society descended on the gardens On 1 June 1999, the Mayor, Mr Gary to clear weeds and to tidy. Moore, officially planted the first tree The Kurashiki Sister City Garden in the Canterbury (New Zealand) features a long paved pathway that garden. The chairpersons of each leads to a teahouse. The pathway Sister City committee then has been lined on either side with proceeded with tree planting in their standard Toshino cherries (Prunus respective garden areas. yedoensis). The national “tree”, Wisteria sinensis, has been planted to cover (eventually) a large “Fuji” or pergola. In a nearby dry creek area, Sister City a Japanese style bridge has been involvement constructed. In the Seattle Sister City Garden a As time went by, momentum large artistic seat, with carved developed to incorporate special Oamaru stone ends depicting a garden features within each garden scene from American Indian design to establish the uniqueness mythology, has been installed to of each garden and to provide identify the centre of this garden. Mr identifiable entrances. Each city Doug Neil, a sculptor from Seattle, approached the challenge in a

6 New Zealand Garden Journal, 2003, Vol.6 (1) Official Opening John Taylor (President, RNZIH) commenced training at Christchurch RNZIH Patron, His Excellency, the Botanic Gardens, followed by naval Governor General, Sir Michael Hardie service in Great Britain (1944-45) and Boys officially opened the Sister a studentship at Kew Gardens. Further Cities Gardens before a very large study continued in the USA at Arnold crowd on 17 February 2001. Also Arboretum (Harvard), New York present were the mayors of Botanical Garden and the Botanical Christchurch City, Mr Garry Moore, Garden of the University of California of Christchurch, England, Mr Eric at Berkeley. He was owner-operator Spreadbury, of Gansu Province, Mr of a wholesale nursery for 17 years, Feng Hun Hai, of Kurashiki, Mr and was then appointed Senior Nakada Takesshi, and of Songpa Gu, Lecturer at Lincoln College in 1972. Mr Lee Yoo Taek. The past New John retired in 1986 but remains committed to training in horticulture. Zealand Honorary Consul in Seattle, Governor General, Sir Michael Hardie Boys Dr John Bollard, and Cr. Bruno (right) and John Taylor jointly planting a totara tree at the official opening of the Sister Cities Ventura, Adelaide were also present. Gardens. Flags of each city were flying, plaques were unveiled and trees were planted in each garden [5].

References

[1] Sister Cities Garden Park Proposal (1998). J.O. Taylor, Turning Point 2000 and City Design, 30pp. [2] Halswell Quarry Park Draft Management Plan (1998). Christchurch City Council, Christchurch, 45pp. [3] Halswell Quarry, Its Past and Its Future Resources (1975). Street Works Division, Christchurch City Council, Christchurch, 35pp. [4] Halswell Quarry Park Design Guidelines (2002). Parks and Waterways Department, Christchurch City Council, Christchurch, 16pp. [5] The Sister Cities of Christchurch (2002). International Relations Section, Christchurch City Council, 20pp.

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