Elephant Ears Plant

Riches in abundance

Words like opulence, abundance and lush fall from Mike Mansvelt's mouth like ripe fruit. Standing in his New Plymouth garden, the landscape designer, former television host, businessman and dad is flamboyantly in form.

"Gardening is about opulence," he says. "For me, it comes in fragrance, fruit and flower, and foliage."

The family home is Blackwood Lodge, a massive house on a 1.2-hectare property that is a mixture of woodland and subtropical gardens. There is a lawn as big as a school field, a massive swimming pool and trees that could be giants.

These are the redwoods planted up the drive, which are flourishing in Taranaki soil. One with a forked trunk is a favourite with sons Flynn, nine, and Felix, seven.

"They think it's the tallest tree in the world," says Mike, holding son Hugo, three. "I haven't the heart to tell them it's not."

Under the soaring trees are mass plantings of a shaggy grass- like plant called lomandra.

"It will fill in and look like a lush sea of green." This "sea" is also teeming with renga renga lilies and daphne bushes ready to burst into flower. "This is where daphne loves to grow. They love the shade," he says.

By the red-brick house, Mike has chosen strong lines and sculptural forms. A red camellia hedge adds another layer to the tall home and a mulched bed is luxuriant with Ligularia reniformis, an evergreen plant with leaves that resemble elephant ears or old tractor seats.

Along the edge is the grass-like Liriope muscari, which keeps the mulch in place when the chickens hunt for snails.

"This is a real bird garden. We have pheasants, our own peacock, Australian rosella, tui, moreporks at night, magpies and lovely quails."

With fronds as dramatic as peacock tails, three nikau palms flourish in the bed by the house.

"The growth has been phenomenal," he says of the five-year- olds. "They love the damp and cool side of the house. It's perfect for them."

The Mansvelt family moved into Blackwood Lodge in January 2010, but had already had a hand in the garden. Mike and his wife, Alisha, bought the place from a client and now have their garden design company, Plantation, on site.

During today's tour, workers busy themselves in different parts of the property, which Mike is using as an experimental garden to see what grows best in Taranaki.

"I have seven gardeners and when I'm a bit behind, some mornings they don't go to work; they just stay here.

Roland Dressler photo of my Elephant Ear plant Rain here for the ...

I collect & build 1/72 scale model airplanes

...also search for Military Aviation collectibles and Cold War relics...

am former contractor for Lockheed Martin who spent years working for USAF then transitioned to working public health care at University of Texas Medical Branch - Galveston...

Currently involved in education program at UTMB School of Medicine Standardized Patient Program

my passion is searching for the rare & unusual treasures here on the Texas Gulf Coast,

but I do enjoy road trips up to New Mexico & Colorado

antique hunting along the way

rolanddressler@gmail.

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