Wild spirits : the remarkable heritage of Waikumete Cemetery is very much alive, in its joyous array of wildflowers
Davies, Renee
Date
2014-02Citation:
Davies, R. B. (2014). Wild spirits : the remarkable heritage of Waikumete Cemetery is very much alive, in its joyous array of wildflowers. New Zealand Gardener , February, pp.37-41.Permanent link to Research Bank record:
https://hdl.handle.net/10652/3995Abstract
The burst of colour that comes with spring is much anticipated by gardeners, and when that patch of colour is found outside the garden boundary – in an entirely unexpected place – the pleasure seems somehow intensified. Much like the thrill I imagine those first goldminers felt seeing a glint at the bottom of a pan.
Just such treasure can be experienced every year between the gravestones in the older parts of Waikumete Cemetery in West Auckland. Here, a colourful array of European and South African wildflowers mix and mingle with native and exotic grasses to create dramatic wildflower meadows.
Waikumete is the second largest cemetery in the southern hemisphere and covers more than 100 hectares. Dating from the late 1800s, it is seen as a site of significant cultural and historical importance. The wildflowers are an integral part of the cemetery’s heritage and are duly protected.