EVERGREEN42EmilyHastie,Landscape
Architect,KamoMarsh
Landscape Architects
Guardians in the garden
O
ften,themoststrikingelementofa
gardenorpublicspaceisitstrees.
Whethertoughandevergreenor
delicateandadornedwithfleetingblooms,
wearedrawntotheirstrengthandsize,
theshadetheygiftusona hotdayortheir
welcomeshelterinthefaceofanicywind.
Realestateadvertisementsfrequentlyuse
‘leafysuburb’or‘tree-linedstreet’askeyselling
points– andsalesfiguressuggestthatbuyers
arehappytopaya premiumtoliveneartrees.
Onthesurface,welovethemforthebeauty
theybringtourbanspaces,buttherearemany
morebenefitsgainedfromlivingaround trees
thatdeservetobecelebrated.
It’shardlysurprisingthathumansexperiencea
visceralconnectiontotrees,afterall,webreathe
oxygenandreleasecarbondioxide,whilethe
treedoespreciselytheopposite;cleaningthe
airviaphotosynthesisandfillinga vitalrole
inthehealthofourenvironment.Alongside
this,theirrootsystemsworktopreventsoil
erosion,andtocleanourwaterways.Inthe
faceofclimatechange,plantingtreesisa
tangibleactionwecantaketohelpprotect
againsttheeffectsofglobalwarming.
Ona personallevel,wecanallgainfromthe
knownhealthbenefitsofthepresenceoftreesin
anurbanenvironment.Treesprovideshadeand
reduce glare, but they also work to cool the airtemperaturebyreleasingwatervapourfromtheir
leaves.Somevarietiesalsodoa particularlygood
jobofremovingpollutantsandchemicals
suchascarbonfromtheairandstoringit on
theirleavesandbark.And,theymakeusfeel
good.Justsittingundera treecanliftmood,
lowerbloodpressureandreduceheartrate.
Withinourcommunities,treestakeona
formalroleinourstorytellingandmythology,
oftenbeingplantedasa memorialortomark
thelocationofa significantevent.Treesalso
tendtofeaturestronglyinourchildhood
memories,therewouldbefewofusinNew
Zealandwhocan’trecalla favouriteclimbing
treeorhutperchedamongstthebranches.
Whenplanningoutdoorspaces,wehave
accesstoa hugevarietyoftreespeciesto
serveasanchorpointsinthelandscape;their
variedaestheticqualitieshelpingtosetthe
toneandstyleofa gardenandattractbirds
andinsects.Treesalsoprovideshade,shelter
andprivacyina garden,supportinglocal
wildlife.Carefullyplaced,treescanmake
allthedifferencetothesuccessofa garden,
enhancingourenjoymentofouroutdoor
livingspacesandimprovingourhealth.Trees
helptoprotecttheenvironmentwhilethey’re
atit.Withourtreesdoingsomuchtohelp
usout,weowetheseunsungheroesour
protection and care – maybe even a hug.