'Green fingers' work to restore landmark

The sculpture at Auckland's 'Spaghetti Junction' is getting a makeover to return it to its original glory. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Looking like a victim of the new tree chopping law, the pohutukawa flower sculpture of Auckland's central motorway junction is defoliated.

Its red stamens have been taken away for repainting.

In the past five years the 105, 5m-high glass-fibre stamens of the sculpture have been faded by sunlight and motor fumes to a not-so-hot pink.

"The makeover will be a chance for us to show off our equivalent of a gardener's green fingers," said NZ Transport Agency's Auckland highways chief Tommy Parker.

The triangle around the 2m-high concrete base is also being landscaped.

The waving stamens will return soon, glowing cheerfully from fresh paint, uplighting and LED lamps in the yellow elliptical tops.