Building the New Zealand Focal Forest, Pacific Connections Update

March 11th, 2013 by UWBG Horticulturist

The 2.5 acre New Zealand focal forest construction project is scheduled to be completed by the end of June.  W.S. Contractors LLC  is currently finishing up infrastructure details, including the future bus turnaround and toilet area located across Arboretum Drive from the NZ focal forest in the future Australia exhibit. Irrigation system installation will begin later this month through May. Planting will begin in June. There will be approximately 10,000 total plants representing over 90 taxa for the 9 plant communities that will be represented.  Garden dedications have been tentatively set for September 13 and 14.

In tandem with the 2.5 acre NZ focal forest project, the Lake Washington Blvd street lighting upgrade through WPA is completed. The Olmsted inspired lamps installed with modern LED bulbs is a huge aesthetic and vehicular safety improvement.   Also, the lower section of the Chilean Gateway re-do will be wrapping up with new plantings in the coming weeks. Our goal for the lower Chilean Gateway is to make it uninviting for pedestrians to walk curbside and trample our plants. We accomplished this by creating raised “fingers” and small berms close to the curb by adding over 120 yards of soil amendment. The well-draining soil-mix will also provide much better growing conditions for the Chilean blue wheatgrass, Elymus megellanicus, than before.

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