These plants are available to landowners in the catchment for either riparian plantings or for restoration work on areas of bush or wetland, or even if you would like a little native pocket in your garden or around your farm somewhere.

The species that are being grown in the nursery are the more hardy, quicker growing sorts - Koromiko - a shrub that grows to 4m high and acts like gorse as a nurse crop, where birds can roost and drop seed of other native species which will establish through these shrubs. Also a well known Maori medicinal plant - making an infusion with the leaves is very good for diarrheoa!

Red tussock and Carex secta - good plants for stream bank establishment where there might be a need to keep maintaining with an excavator. Also good around duck ponds as they provide a seed food source for ducks, as well as shelter from hawkes for ducklings.

Toe toe - Another hardy plant good for stream bank establishment, growing higher and providing good shading over the stream. (Flax near smaller streams not recommended as it grows too well and has a tendency to either collapse into streams or push over fences!)

Cabbage tree - hardy tree that will take exposed conditions. Good in combination with toe toe and koromiko. Pittosporum tenuifolium and ribbonwood - taller growing trees that need a bit more shelter to get going and are better suited for the top half of the catchment where the salt wind influence doesn't burn them off.

Just remember that if you are going to plant out an area, plan ahead so you can order plants. With the WLG Nursery there are limited plants (although that's probably about 700!) but we're keen to help where we can. If you would like advice with plantings please contact Gay Munro, ph 03 239-5827.

WLG has potting up and propagation days several times a year. Watch the Gorge Road Community Newsletter for date and time or check out this website, if you would like to come along and help.