Te Wāhi Hua Rākau
E toro ana ā mātou rākau hua puta noa i ngā pari me ngā rapaki. Ko ngā tupu hoa takirua pērā i te pua rā o Mehikana (Mexican Sunflower — Tithonia Diversifolia) ka whakamarumaru i ngā hua i te āwhā me te hau, ka tuku rauropi hei whakakaha i te oneone, ā, ka tāpara mai i ngā kairui hae puta noa i te tau, ā, he mea ātaahua hoki ki te titiro nā tōna pua kōwhai kanapa.
Ko ngā kākano pua me ngā rongoā e uhi ana i te papa, ā, ko te pahemo he pārekreka nāna i whakangawari i ngā tapa o te Pou Whakataa. Ko ngā rākau puriri nunui me te makorokapara ka āta whakakite i te tirohanga whakamiharo ki te Whanga.
Ka whakamahia ngā rau o te puriri hei rākau tapu mō ngā kawa tuku iho i te wā o te tangihanga. Ko te kohatu Mauri whakairo kei te Pou Whakataa te taonga e here nei i a tātou ki te whenua, e whakamaumahara ana i a tātou kia whakamānawa i te nui o ngā koha a te taiao, me te whai wā ki te hono atu ki te ao wairua, ki ngā taonga o te wāhi ngaro hoki.
Orchard Zone
We have a range of fruit trees traversing across the slopes. Companion plants such as Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) offer shelter from the elements, provide biomass, and attract pollinators all year round, while pleasing the eye with their bright yellow flowers.
Bulbs and herbs cover the ground, passionfruit softens the edges of the Pou Whakataa, and huge pūriri and macrocarpa frame the Harbour view.
The pūriri provides foliage for traditional ceremony at tangi (funeral). The carved Mauri stone in the Pou Whakataa grounds us, reminding us to be grateful for the abundance that nature provides and to take time to connect with the spiritual and unseen realms.