A frond indeed
It’s a wonder we’re not called "Fernies" instead of "Kiwis", writes Mark Clark.
Life and Shade
Never a face so pleasingly graced
Never a face so pleasingly graced
China looms large in today’s world. With 18% of the earth’s human population and a similar share of the global GDP, it has the largest land area of any country except Russia.
Yellow, tough and beautiful
Yellow, tough and beautiful
Now that the school year is well under way, hands up those who know the Maori word for the colour yellow. Your hand should be up too, because you know it, even if you think you don’t.
Appreciate, mourn the classics
Appreciate, mourn the classics
Quod est ad finem est era. It’s the end of an era in education, writes Mark Clark.
Matai precious survivors
Matai precious survivors
Lowland survivors might finally be getting a break.
Stately tree waves the flag
Stately tree waves the flag
It’s surprising how few national flags feature the great trees of the world, writes Mark Clark.
Stickman pine’s straight lines
Stickman pine’s straight lines
Zealandia has been in the science news quite a lot recently - and I don’t mean the wildlife sanctuary in Wellington or that fine lady who is supposed to symbolise New Zealand, writes Mark Clark.
Bearer of berries
Bearer of berries
John Wilson Ocean Drive is a great place to enjoy some fresh air and a sweeping view of the ocean. But what are all those dark green mounds hugging the sand dunes and lining the road?
Fig tree thriving in South Dunedin
Fig tree thriving in South Dunedin
What interesting plants did you discover during your lockdown walks?
Star of rags to riches tale
Star of rags to riches tale
Manuka is the star of a well-known rags-to-riches story in the NZ plant world, writes Mark Clark.
Reminder of a far away isle
Reminder of a far away isle
Now and then someone says ‘‘from Cape Reinga to Bluff’’ or ‘‘from Kaitaia to Bluff’’, as if New Zealand ends at Bluff in the South. The 400 or so New Zealanders on Stewart Island/Rakiura would not...
The good oil on olive trees
The good oil on olive trees
For a while there it looked like a conspiracy. So many maps of the world did not show New Zealand, writes columnist Mark Clark.
Lighting up the South
Lighting up the South
The southern rata, with its fire-bright colour, is most at home in the cold and damp.
Giants of the Andes
Giants of the Andes
It’s the Tyrannosaurus rex of trees. Who hasn’t felt a primal twinge of terror as they’ve looked up at a large monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) with its ferocious dark green "teeth"? We feel...
Lemonwoods on our streets
Lemonwoods on our streets
Fair of bark and light of leaf, the lemonwood is the blonde of the bush, writes Mark Clark.
A tree for all occasions
A tree for all occasions
The Holy Grail of a perfect tree for southern gardens is one that doesn't need pruning and doesn't grow too tall, with beautiful flowers, edible fruit, interesting leaves, and colourful bark, writes Mark Clark.
What tree says 'NZ' best?
What tree says 'NZ' best?
For Pacific islands in the tropics, it's the coconut palm.For Australia, it would have to be the gum tree. So what tree says "New Zealand" like no other, asks Mark Clark.
'Aliens' worth a closer look
'Aliens' worth a closer look
Anyone who wants to make a movie about an alien planet doesn't have to design their own weird and wonderful plants - there are plenty of bizarre-looking plants right here on Earth, writes Mark Clark.
Our own gothic fantasy setting
Our own gothic fantasy setting
Sadly for Game of Thrones fans, we don't have many medieval castles, churches and cathedrals in NZ as a background for any gothic fantasies, but we do have dark, brooding structures with pointed "spires", "turrets" and "battlements".
Buccaneers of NZ flora
Buccaneers of NZ flora
Clips of Dunedin's snow-covered hills and icy roads are a time-honoured winter tradition on New Zealand television - as are regular jibes from northerners about the city's "fresh'' weather.