Gardens and Stream Ecology: A case for the Exotic Plant in New Zealand

Debate about the relative merits of the use of native plants in the landscape as opposed to exotic flora is occurring in many countries. On the one hand, much of the key landscape character in Europe is based on non-indigenous flora; on the other, in New Zealand, because the flora changes are relati...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Leslie Haines, Jacqueline Margetts
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Lincoln University 2004-12-01
Series:Landscape Review
Online Access:https://journals.lincoln.ac.nz/index.php/lr/article/view/218
_version_ 1797284229612044288
author Leslie Haines
Jacqueline Margetts
author_facet Leslie Haines
Jacqueline Margetts
author_sort Leslie Haines
collection DOAJ
description Debate about the relative merits of the use of native plants in the landscape as opposed to exotic flora is occurring in many countries. On the one hand, much of the key landscape character in Europe is based on non-indigenous flora; on the other, in New Zealand, because the flora changes are relatively recent and arguably more noticeable, there is a strong tendency to favour native planting, especially in riparian areas. The authors of this paper are interested in how to link planting themes from urban gardens into adjacent streamside ecologies. Given that native plant use in these areas is well documented, the possibility of using exotic plants as research subjects was investigated. The opposition this proposal met with was based within the native versus exotic paradigm, and strongly tied to the discourse on weeds. This paper argues that changing the focus from a native versus exotic debate to an investigation of what plant material can offer ecologically, suggests a way forward. The possibility that, in gardens (and other landscapes) ecological, outcome-founded designs need not distinguish between native and exotic plants is explored, and it is shown that ecological outcomes are not the sole preserve of the native components of the flora.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T17:46:08Z
format Article
id doaj.art-938556f969af4f4c9a252c2878f56714
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1173-3853
2253-1440
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T17:46:08Z
publishDate 2004-12-01
publisher Lincoln University
record_format Article
series Landscape Review
spelling doaj.art-938556f969af4f4c9a252c2878f567142024-03-02T14:58:23ZengLincoln UniversityLandscape Review1173-38532253-14402004-12-01101 24953212Gardens and Stream Ecology: A case for the Exotic Plant in New ZealandLeslie HainesJacqueline MargettsDebate about the relative merits of the use of native plants in the landscape as opposed to exotic flora is occurring in many countries. On the one hand, much of the key landscape character in Europe is based on non-indigenous flora; on the other, in New Zealand, because the flora changes are relatively recent and arguably more noticeable, there is a strong tendency to favour native planting, especially in riparian areas. The authors of this paper are interested in how to link planting themes from urban gardens into adjacent streamside ecologies. Given that native plant use in these areas is well documented, the possibility of using exotic plants as research subjects was investigated. The opposition this proposal met with was based within the native versus exotic paradigm, and strongly tied to the discourse on weeds. This paper argues that changing the focus from a native versus exotic debate to an investigation of what plant material can offer ecologically, suggests a way forward. The possibility that, in gardens (and other landscapes) ecological, outcome-founded designs need not distinguish between native and exotic plants is explored, and it is shown that ecological outcomes are not the sole preserve of the native components of the flora.https://journals.lincoln.ac.nz/index.php/lr/article/view/218
spellingShingle Leslie Haines
Jacqueline Margetts
Gardens and Stream Ecology: A case for the Exotic Plant in New Zealand
Landscape Review
title Gardens and Stream Ecology: A case for the Exotic Plant in New Zealand
title_full Gardens and Stream Ecology: A case for the Exotic Plant in New Zealand
title_fullStr Gardens and Stream Ecology: A case for the Exotic Plant in New Zealand
title_full_unstemmed Gardens and Stream Ecology: A case for the Exotic Plant in New Zealand
title_short Gardens and Stream Ecology: A case for the Exotic Plant in New Zealand
title_sort gardens and stream ecology a case for the exotic plant in new zealand
url https://journals.lincoln.ac.nz/index.php/lr/article/view/218
work_keys_str_mv AT lesliehaines gardensandstreamecologyacasefortheexoticplantinnewzealand
AT jacquelinemargetts gardensandstreamecologyacasefortheexoticplantinnewzealand