One of the things I am asked about most often as a garden designer is screen tree options. Not surprising really as our houses grow larger and gardens shrink (don't me get started on that one!!) So I am always on the look out for new screen tree ideas. This week on my walk I noticed a screen of the native Taraire (Beilschmiedia tarairi), a tree I always admire when out in the native forest because it has the most beautiful evergreen leaves, large dark and shiny with distinctive veins. Wood pigeons love their fruit which are purple and oval shaped.
Beautiful leathery stongly veined leaves.
Taraire grows into a big tree so I was surprised to see it planted in a narrow garden in a suburban street. However it may respond well to being trimmed as do many of the other trees used in screening (which if left to their own devices would grow into big trees also).