History in the Plantings Around City Garden Home

By Mike Shaw

The tree-framed and leaf-carpeted approach to 12a Sequoia Grove is entirely appropriate for the home of the late horticulturalist Keith Adams, QSM.

Keith named his home Redwoods for the tall stately specimens that he planted himself many years ago, and which now gatepost the driveway into this property. Those trees are also behind the naming of this cul-de-sac - their formal name is Sequoia Sempervirens, the coast Redwood originally found along the Californian seafront.

Redwoods are an evergreen, but do drop their foliage regularly, and those leaves - almost a frond actually - form the soft surface underfoot on the front portion of the drive.

The trees and that leafy carpet create a quiet shady welcome to Keith's home, and you feel a real sense of serenity as you stroll in from the street - it's like a passage into a private world, secluded from suburbia. Further in, the drive opens up to embrace the house and paving adds a lighter-coloured firm area for cars to park and negotiate entry to the basement tandem garage.

Keith died in 2011 and his children have finally decided to sell Redwoods, allowing a new garden lover to settle into these unique surroundings. That will bring to a close the family's 65-year association with these surroundings.

It's a connection that still resonates with daughter Virginia as she strolls through the home and grounds. "I love the place'" she admits, but she says the family recognises that it's now time to let the property go.

With a horticulturalist as a father, plants became a part of family life and Virginia reveals her own knowledge of the greenery around the home. She points to a tree in the front grounds near the house. "That's an unusual Cherry; it flowers in May," she says.

On the other side of the house she talks about another cherry that's anything but rare - the original Prunus Awanui that Keith developed and turned into one of the most popular commercial varieties now available. It's a legacy of the wholesale nursery that he and wife Ngaere established here on the larger farm property they then owned.

The couple seeded this property with its uniqueness from the day they purchased it back in 1950 and then nurtured it over many years to create a special home in a special part of the city.

Virginia remembers it as a beautiful place to grow up, part of an area that was undeveloped in its early years. "Awanui St was a metal road and Te Mara Place was our driveway. Sequoia Grove was the race to the sheds at the back."

Keith and Ngaere built their family home in 1950 and over subsequent years they shaped lush gardens around it, letting the plantings spread over the natural contours of the land with lawns flowing around the different areas.

The setting here is at the top of a hill and looks out over the Te Henui valley, with the river winding its way past below on its way to the sea. A popular swimming spot down there is known as Adams Point, named in recognition of Keith gifting two hectares of land there to the city. Across the valley, you can see the structures of New Plymouth Boys' High School and the Witt campus, and the fenced green reserve of Puketarata Pa above grassy slopes where sheep usually graze peacefully.

As the years passed and the city expanded around them, Keith and Ngaere gradually split up the farm property, first to create Te Mara Place, and then Sequoia Grove, until the couple were left with their home and its established garden setting.

Over the years, Keith built up his knowledge and love of plants of all kinds, but had a particular passion for Vireya Rhododendrons. He travelled regularly overseas on plant hunts and brought back anything he found interesting. Many plants ended up in his own gardens, adding a special flavour to the seasonal variation here. His commitment to horticulture and further contribution to the community was marked with his QSM award.

Keith and Ngaere went their separate ways in later life and in 1986 Keith eventually subdivided the home property to build a new residence for himself alongside. This is the property that is now for sale.

"He chose what he considered the best spot ... for the view and the sound of the river," Virginia says. "He designed the place himself."

Keith opted for a dark-stained rusticated weatherboard finish - complementing the original black-and-white weatherboard residence next door. It's not a large home, Virginia notes, but it feels surprisingly spacious - a testament to the success of Keith's design.

Step through the entry door and into the living areas and you immediately appreciate the focus of this home. It faces out over the gardens and takes in the valley view. The dining area has a wealth of glass to make the most of the corner outlook while enjoying a meal.

The kitchen sits just behind and also enjoys a view through this space to that lush green outlook.

The lounge is adjacent and impresses with its generous dimensions, raked timber ceilings, and doors that open out to a sunny north-facing verandah. Virginia says this has always been a top spot to sit and appreciate the setting. "It's a place that invites you to just relax and contemplate."

The French doors that open to the verandah were a special feature for Keith, she adds - they came from the city's original Post Office located where the current clock tower stands. "He liked to have a bit of history about himself."

Old red chimney bricks have also been laid as a small patio area a step down from the verandah. They complement the rustic presentation of the home, which looks as if it has been sitting here for many more years than it actually has.

Behind the living areas is a short hallway where you find the separate laundry, family bathroom and toilet, and the internal access to that tandem garage. The bathroom has its original soft-green bath and basin that Virginia suggests now carries a retro appeal.

New owners may possibly change that, but they will no doubt value the leadlight window in the bathroom that features a kingfisher in flight. That was specially commissioned by Keith during the building of this house.

Stairs at the end of the hallway lead up to the bedrooms and the home's second toilet.

The master bedroom and its private deck is the focus up here with an enhanced view over the property to a slice of sea in the distance ... on this visit, there was even a ship clearly visible sitting out there on the water.

Out on the deck, above and among the wealth of trees, there's a sense of being in a tree-house. Virginia suggests sitting out here with a wine in the evening and enjoying the surroundings. "The property seems to merge into the view ... you never feel boxed in here."

The Grevillea in the garden just below is a vibrant feature in full flower when it's targeted by Waxeyes and Finches. That original Awanui Cherry rises among the foliage a little further out.

The garden is far from minimalist with its rich variety of plantings, but it is relatively low maintenance, Virginia points out. Mowing the lawns is the regular activity, while ground covers and humus work to keep weeds down.

Steps lead down from a corner of the garden to the river and Adams Point. That public space down there, says Virginia, means her family will never fully lose their connection to the special environment that is Redwoods.

Expressions of Interest

Phone Dianne today on 0800 434 872 for your personal appointment to view.