Given the event not so long ago over the protesting held in West Auckland against the cutting down of a native kauri tree, has planting natives become more of a hindrance than an act of trying to keep our cultural identity alive?

At Give Plants we see the beauty in all our plants and trees so do not believe that planting any type of tree would be a hindrance, plants are a source of life here on Earth and for how many that are being destroyed in the world to make room for housing and buildings etc., there is not enough being planted to replace what is being taken.

It is to no surprise then that there are strict rules in place for cutting down any native tree. It ensures that we will continue to have plants and trees for generations to come. On the other hand the owner of the property in which the protested Kauri tree stands tall on most probably would’ve found it to be a hindrance and would be losing out on profit. This may put people off wanting to plant natives as they may see it as causing problems further down the track.

However, that is not to say that we should stop planting natives at all, because it still identifies who we are as a country. Perhaps plant a smaller native plant instead? At Give Plants we offer a few beautiful natives that are less likely to cause an uproar further down the track. Gift one of our beautiful ferns that is delivered in an ELHO hanging pot, can be placed both inside and out and not bound to an area where it has to stay put. Alternatively, one of our Kowhai wouldn’t go a miss either.