Gardening Guru's of New Zealand

Two Well Known Gardening Gurus 

Eion Scarrow 

Gardening personality Eion Scarrow with his wife Ann.
Photograph from : Waikato Times 29.04.2013

To see an example of Eion Scarrow's "Dig This" programme click this link to NZ On Screen Dig This

Eion also wrote many useful gardening books and was a hit on National Radio with tips and advice.

For a list of his books visit National Library of NZ http://natlib.govt.nz

His 'Palmers Citrus Handbook" is available to borrow from Rotorua District Library 634.3z SCA

Prof. Walker (T.W. Walker)
Photograph from : The Press, 18.11.2010

Prof. Walker

Prof Walker became a TV celebrity when he joined the 'Maggie's Garden Show team, but before that he was a well known Professor at Lincoln University for 27 Years. To read his obituary click this link Garden Show Prof dies at 94

Read and learn from his book "Vegetable gardening with Prof. Walker" available to borrow at the Rotorua District Library 635.04z WAL


Click the link to see a clip of Maggie's Garden Show on which Prof Walker starred in a cameo role for the Ellerslie Garden Show in 2000. NZ on Screen

Book Review : 1000 Years of Gardening in New Zealand by Helen Leach

An Anthropologist's View of Gardening History

Helen Leach's "1,000 years of gardening in New Zealand" published 1984 and Illustrated by Rotorua's well known artist Nancy Tichborne is an in depth look into Pre-European gardening and plants throughout Polynesia and Europe so as to give us the big picture. 

Quote from the Author " It is my belief that every New Zealander who has ever thrust a spade into a back garden and started a vegetable plot should know something about his or her antecedents... whether Maori or European" 

Along with Archaeologists and first European explorers, diaries and other published works, Helen Leach paints a word picture for us of young New Zealand pre-colonisation and moves us through time to the early 20th century of gardening for food and survival. Beautifully illustrated by Nancy Tichborne, early maps, charts and photographs.

Available to borrow from the 2nd Floor New Zealand History & Travel section at 635.0931z LEA

 

Rotorua Firsts

It's our Blog's 1st Birthday! so we thought we would celebrate a few of Rotorua's 1st's.

A Chronology  by D. M. Stafford

Don (D. M.) Stafford 

Year

1340        Arawa Canoe arrives at Maketu

Sir George Grey (From : Te Ara)

1340-50   Exploration of Rotorua District

1650        Ngati Whakaue occupy Ohinemutu and surrounds

1835        1st Mission Station set up.

1852        1st Resident Magistrate appointed at Rotorua

1866        Sir George Grey visits Rotorua District
1870        1st Royal visit (Duke of Edinburgh)  First Rotorua Royal Visit
1872        1st Hotel opens at Ohinemutu
1872        1st organised horse racing in the district
1875        New Post Office opened in Ohinemutu
1881        1st horse sale in district
1884        1st Blue Bath built and 1st hospital built
1885        1st marathon run between Rotorua and Tauranga
1885        1st issue of Hot Lakes Chronicle is published
1886        1st known volcanic eruption
1888        1st gold prospecting begins in district
1889        1st meeting held to establish a Library
1892        1st Brass Band established

1894        1st Telephone in the district installed
1895        1st Grand Hotel opens
1897        1st street lights established

http://wheelbike.blogspot.co.nz/

1898        1st ever (in NZ) Bicycle tracks laid in Rotorua
1900        1st Elections for Rotorua Town Council
1902        1st Bank of NZ opened in Rotorua
1903        1st car arrives in Rotorua
1908        1st Rotorua Golf Club established
1910        1st A&P Association Show
1919        1st YMCA opens on Pukeroa Hill
1923        1st Borough Council elections held
1924        1st Te Arawa Trust Board members appointed
1926        1st Rotorua Bus Company
1928        1st St John's Ambulance service
1929        1st ANZAC service held at Ohinemutu

Ohinemutu War Memorial
 ( From http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/keyword/ohinemutu)

1930        1st 'Talkies' at Majestic Theatre

NZ Herald 18 Dec 1931 (From Papers Past)

1935        1st tar sealed road between Rotorua & Ngongotaha
1937        1st parade of Rotorua Boys Brigade
1939        1st Rotorua Yacht and Power Boat Gala Day
1943        1st  American Servicemen arrive in Rotorua
1947        1st  Jukebox installed in Rotorua Milk Bar
1948        1st use of New Soundshell
1949        1st official broadcast from Station 1YZ Rotorua.    


There are of course many more 1st's for Rotorua this is just a small selection.   You can read more Rotorua History in Don Stafford's well known books 'The Founding Years in Rotorua' and 'The new century in Rotorua' available to borrow from the 2nd Floor.