- The bucket tree and other natural landmarks.

From a bucket-shaped landmark to kauri that commemorate Oscar winners, there is something to learn from each horticultural treasure.

Despite Tawa being named for a native tree, it is a different tree – sitting in clear view of all those entering or leaving the suburb from State Highway One – that has become its defining landmark. It’s thought the bucket tree was planted by William Earp, who came to Wellington in 1854 with his wife, Elizabeth. The Earps cleared bush and established a sheep farm on the former road between Porirua and Wellington. Their homestead, Boscobel, was built around 1860 on what is now the site of the Bucket Tree Lodge.

The Earps’ house may no longer be standing but the bucket tree planted in front of the house and a Norfolk pine next to it are both hale and hearty, and appear on The New Zealand Tree Register, a project of the New Zealand Notable Trees Trust.

The bucket tree is a macrocarpa (Cupressus macrocarpa) trimmed into the shape of an upside-down bucket. For many years, it was thought to be as many as five intertwined trees, but recently has been confirmed as just one. It seems the tree was first pruned in the early 1880s by Frederick Westbury, who worked for William Earp.

Local rumour has it that it was originally shaped as a bell but children sliding down it shaved the edges off. That must have been at least 100 years ago as it’s estimated the bucket tree is more than 17m high today. The tree grows about 70cm a year and the Wellington City Council spend two days pruning it each summer.

The eye-catching bucket tree and its neighbouring Norfolk pine are not the only trees planted by the Earps. Also surviving are remnants of an orchard behind the site of their house.

Originally, the orchard contained apples, pears and stone fruit such as plums and peaches. Today, six fruit trees – four apples, a pear and a fig – remain as well as a walnut tree.

The variety of pear is ‘Conference’, delicious if eaten as a dessert pear but just as good cooked. In the 1970s, apple varieties ‘Lord Derby’, ‘Cellini’, ‘Golden Noble’ and ‘Lane’s Prince Albert’ were identified in the orchard.

Thirty years later, concerned that the trees might not survive, the Wellington City Council took cuttings and grafted them with the help of Appleton’s Tree Nursery in Wakefield, near Nelson. After being nurtured for several years in the council’s Berhampore Nursery, the trees were planted in the Reserve in 2008 and are now flourishing alongside their parents.

As it turns out, the original trees were battered in a severe storm in late 2020, which uprooted two of them. The Paper Street Tree Company worked with the council and the trees were saved. One was propped up and another is now growing prone within a protective surround. Despite all the trauma though, the heritage trees in the orchard still produce fruit and nuts.

The old orchard is now part of Willowbank Reserve, thought to have got its name from the willow trees planted by settlers and still growing on the banks of the Porirua Stream.

Today, the 5.5-hectare reserve also includes lots of holly and hawthorn trees, originally planted as hedging around the orchard but which have long escaped and naturalised in the area. Plane trees and gum trees were also planted decades ago.

More recently, in 2004, 11 kauri were planted to mark the success of The Lord of the Rings movies: nine celebrate the “fellowship” of the cast and crew of the Lord of the Rings films, and there is one each for Sir Peter Jackson and JRR Tolkien. The total of eleven also represents the

11 Oscars won for The Return of the King.

As well as council input, the reserve is looked after by the Willowbank Reserve Care Group which comes under the umbrella of the Friends of the Tawa Bush. Led by Fiona Drummond, the group meets on the first and third Thursday of each month to maintain, weed and plant the reserve. The Wellington City Council supplies the group with plants and much planting has been done since the group was formed.

The Porirua Stream, which flows through the reserve, is prone to flooding so one of the group’s projects has been to plant dozens of carex grasses to stop the water flowing over the banks. They have also planted many native trees in uncultivated areas that had been overtaken by weeds.

Other community organisations, such as the local scouts, help the care group from time to time. The picnic areas, children’s playground and the Ara Tawa Pathway going through the reserve sit comfortably alongside the heritage trees in what is a much used and loved community space.

Botanists won’t recognise the species, but mention “the bucket tree” to anyone in Wellington’s northern suburbs, they will know exactly what you’re talking about.