A Hawke’s Bay nursery which flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle is growing poplars for the first time - to help with future erosion control.
Plant Hawke’s Bay which specialises in native plants had three metres of water smash through its Waiohiki nursery in February.
Following the cyclone, hundredsof volunteers including RSE workers from nearby orchards showed up to help dig plants out of the silt to try to save them.
Owner Marie Taylor said 64 per cent of the crop was a write-off - but another local nursery sold up which helped fill a lot of orders for the winter.
“Throughout Hawke’s Bay where there’s been slips, the poplars have really held the land together and the slips have either been above or below them,” Taylor said.
“We’ve got a fabulous list of farmers on our database and they need a lot of trees on their properties, so it makes sense.”
Floodwaters in Plant Hawke's Bay's nursery in February. Photo / RNZ / Sally Murphy
The nursery should have 50,000 poplars available next year.
The recovery clean-up has seen the greenhouse reclad after the flood blew all the walls out.
“There’s a whole new crop inside which is germinating well, outside things are a bit slower because we’re still waiting for insurance settlements.
