Newsletter - OCTOBER 2026
Contents |
November Programme Review of October's Events
From the Zoo - Meerkats and Their Digging Behaviour By Jolene West (Senior Keeper) Weedbusters article. |
November Programme |
15th - Naming of Georgina Beyer Lawn  https://www.pridetaranaki.co.nz/event-details/georgina-beyer-lawn-public-celebration 16th Committee meeting 17th Wanderers' Walk - Fernery visit Meet at the Bellringer Pavilion at 10.30a.m. 26 - 27th - Tony Barnes - Manawatu Garden Visits  The Manawatu Garden Trip has 2 vacancies. Please register your interest asap if you are interested. Contact Heather: 0274788834. The programme looks fantastic and is as follows:
Thursday 26th Nov 8.15am Depart Bellringer Pavilion 10.30am Arrive Paloma Garden, Pohutukawa Lane, Fordell 12.15pm Arrive Spring Bloom Nursery, 70 Pearce St Halcombe 1.00pm Feilding …lunch somewhere - own cost 2.00pm Arrive Chatswood Garden Kairanga/Bunnythorpe Rd 3.00pm Arrive Villa Candottii 133 Reid Line East, Colyton 4.30pm Arrive Esplanade Rose Garden 5.15pm Arrive at motel - Own cost 6.45pm Evening meal somewhere in Palmerston North. Thai perhaps?? Own cost
Friday 27th Nov 8.30am Depart for Wharerata Arrive 8.45am 9.30am Arrive Hlomo Hlomo 85 Ngahere Park Rd R.D.2 11.00am Arrive Lansdale Karere Rd Kairanga 1pm Arrive Springvale Garden centre Whanganui for lunch own cost 2.30pm Arrive Bason Reserve 5pm Arrive back New Plymouth
Costs: Van hire, fuel and garden entries based on 10 people $135 per person |
Review of Octobers Events |
6th - Wanderers’ Walk – Lead - Susan Oliver Te Henui Cemetery. |
There was an excellent turnout for the walk through the cemetery and the weather played its part.  Susan took us round pointing out the various sections by religious denomination, throwing in a fair amount of humour on the way. Susan leads a team of volunteers who do a fantastic job of keeping the cemetery looking great. The fact that the cemetery is again featured in the garden Festival is a testament to all the hard work of the volunteers.  Susan gave a lot of praise to the council for the way that they are supported in terms of being provided with gear and plants. She also mentioned that the council do cut the grass which is a big job. The cemetery at the moment is looking very nice. One of the highlights was the flowering crab-apple trees. Susan talked about plant selection. How they try to maintain colour throughout the year. She also spoke about trying to keep the maintenance down with good plant selection, highlighting some of the hits and misses.  Successful bulb , annual and perennial plantings in Te Henui Cemetery that are long flowering with lower maintenance required include: Orlaya, Stipa gigantea, narrow leaved Miscanthus, old fashioned sweet peas, Alstroemeria Indian Summer, Euconomis, Salvia leucantha , Albuca, Babiana, Sparaxia, Ixia, Canna, Asiatic lily, Zinnias, bluebells, Calendula, Chinese forget-me-not , Aristea, Hellebore Needing higher maintainence but worth the effort - tulips and swan plants Not performing well -being replaced with something more suitable or removed– Watsonias( get congested over time and very weighty to uproot a clump); any dahlias that need staking ; kniphofia growing on the higher slopes;stipa tenuissima ( on the pest list, a prolific self seeder in concrete), Siberian iris (too short a flowering season and strappy leaves). Many thanks to Susan for an entertaining walk |
14th - Member's Lunch. |
22 members enjoyed lunch at the Tea House on 14 October. A great array of food – lots of chatter and fellowship
Many thanks to Simn and Marnie for the special attention and service.
18th - Plant Sale. |
The sun shone brilliantly for our October Plant sale. Ducks, ducklings and an angry swan mingled with us during set up and entertained the little ones while we sold.  As seems to be the pattern, we had a furious selling start then a more leisurely steady trading until noon. A huge thank you to those who helped – it is a big commitment on the day and much appreciated. To those who grew plants for us – thank you – we couldn’t have a sale without your plants! Approximately $1800 was raised which will go towards contributions we can make to assist in the Park.  The last two projects we were involved with were the 50% to the refurbishment and painting of the entrance walls (I hope you have admired them), and also the glasshouse in the Fernery. An ongoing project we are helping with the relabelling of trees.  You may have noticed this has started with new signs by the playground, Stainton Dell and Victoria Road arboretum. These are all efforts which are greatly appreciated and which we can be very proud of. Sue
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24th - Thursday's Evening Meeting. Speaker - Elise Smith |
Elise told us about the Ghan train trip she took with her husband Jeremy, from Darwin to Adelaide, a distance of over 2900 km. This is a 4-day, 3-night journey. The train has two locomotives and 29 carriages.
The train departed Darwin mid-morning and arrived at the first stop, Katherine, early afternoon. There they took a coach to Nitmaluk National Park where they spent the afternoon exploring (which included a boat trip on Katherine River), returning late afternoon to continue their train journey. |
Early on day 2 they arrived at Alice Springs. The train stopped there the whole day. Passengers had a choice of staying local or taking an excursion. Elise and Jeremy chose to fly to Uluru (Ayers Rock) which is about an hour each way. The train departed Alice Springs following an evening meal under the stars at the historic Telegraph Station. |
The next morning (day three), following breakfast, the train arrived at Manguri. Here they disembarked and travelled by air-conditioned coach (30 minutes) to enjoy a full day of touring in and around the truly unique, underground opal mining township of Coober Pedy where more than half of the residents live underground. |
The train departed Manguri around 7.30 p.m. and arrived in Adelaide the next morning around 11 a.m. It sounds like a great trip. Elise also talked about a trip to New Caledonia. Many thanks to Elise for putting together the presentations. |
From the Zoo |
Meerkats and Their Digging Behaviour By Jolene West (Senior Keeper)
Meerkats Suricata suricatta are small social mongooses native to the arid regions of southern Africa. One of their most fascinating natural behaviours is digging, which plays a vital role in their survival. At Brooklands Zoo, observing meerkats digging provides visitors with an insight into the instincts and behaviours that make these animals so successful in the wild. 
In their natural habitat, meerkats dig extensive underground burrow systems that serve as shelter from predators, protection from harsh weather, and safe places to raise their young. Their strong arms, curved claws, and lean bodies are perfectly adapted for moving large amounts of sand quickly and efficiently. Even in a zoo environment, these natural instincts remain strong.
At Brooklands Zoo, the meerkat habitat is designed to encourage natural behaviours, including digging and burrowing. Visitors often see the meerkats actively scratching and excavating sand throughout the day. Digging allows them to investigate their surroundings and search for food items hidden in the substrate. This behaviour is an important form of environmental enrichment, helping to keep the animals mentally stimulated and physically active.
Meerkats are highly social animals, living in family groups known as mobs. Digging is often a cooperative behaviour with several individuals working in the same area while others stand guard. This behaviour reflects the teamwork seen in wild populations, where meerkats on sentry duty watch for danger while the group forages or expands its burrow network. At Brooklands Zoo, visitors may notice one meerkat standing upright and scanning the environment while the rest of the group dig, forage or rest nearby. 
The digging behaviour of meerkats also contributes to their overall welfare. Providing suitable substrates like sand and mulch allows them to express natural behaviours that are important for their physical and mental wellbeing. Zoo staff monitor the habitat to ensure that digging opportunities remain safe and engaging while maintaining the integrity of the habitat which means we spend a lot of time carefully filling in tunnels, making sure we know where all the meerkats are at all times.
For visitors to Brooklands Zoo, watching meerkats dig offers a valuable opportunity to learn about animal adaptations, social cooperation, and the importance of providing environments that support natural behaviours.
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WEEDBUSTERS |
Weedbusters have released a resource online where you can make your own pest plant guides. It can only handle 25 plants at a time but you can call it whatever you like and chose from the list in the link below. Not all pest plants will be available and the group is working on adding more in time. Feel free to share it amongst your gardening groups and if you have any feedback let me know. I am on the Leadership Team for Weedbusters so I can follow up on comments. Abby Lagula Biosecurity Advocate TRC https://www.weedbusters.org.nz/resources/make-your-own-weedbusters-booklet/ |
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