CHATTER

It’s a familiar name, ficus lyrata, and there are a few about. The fiddle leaf fig has a thousand or so cousins; think Benjamina, Ruby, Sophia, bambino, elastica, etc. But why the fiddle, you ask? It’s obvious really, the plant gets its name from the violinshaped foliage.

Although strong in stature it has a delicate nature (some even say emotional) and you must resist the temptation to move it about your home. Even a trip from the garden centre to your lounge can result in a few well-established leaves falling to the ground. Do not fret, if you have chosen its location well it will settle in and command attention in no time.

When placed in bright, dappled light – and well away from drying heat pumps, heaters, and the glare of the sun – it should be a happy plant. Water well, thoroughly soaking the soil. Leaving it to sit in water will guarantee leaf drop and a full-blown sulk. The lyrata is not one for constant fertilising – just a few times over the warmer months will do the trick. Only repot when the roots start showing at the bottom of the pot. Our plant of the month comes from Katherine Beauchamp, owner of Palmer’s Miramar. The month of March might be your chance to enjoy free bus rides in Wellington. Free or discounted rides on Wellington train and bus services during that month are proposed as part of a trial by Greater Wellington Regional Council to explore new fare settings, and to get ready for a new national public transport smart card. The council is also considering free services for students and those with community cards, and even for residents of lower socio-economic suburbs.

Commonkind is a new social enterprise based in Pukerua Bay. Using a buy one, give one model, they design New Zealand wool blankets and share them with those in need across the country. The team gifts a wool blanket to a child through community organisations whenever a customer purchases a bespoke blanket. Kelly Olatunji and Olive Riley, founders, met while studying at Massey. Their blankets have been distributed in the region through organisations The Nest Collective and Wesley Community Action.

The Victoria University Students’ Association Trust recently sold a painting from their collection by the late Don Binney. Mana Island went for $600,000, the buyer paying a total of $720,750 after GST and premiums. Binney painted the Mana Island landscape while he was a visiting lecturer at the university. It would be the largest artwork Binney ever produced, measuring 2.6m by 3.6m. His students assisted him in its creation. The money achieved from the sale, the union says, will be used for their general running costs.

Max Carter, a Scot’s College 14-year-old, recently won the Aotearoa New Zealand spelling bee championship from a strong field of 20 year 9 and 10 students from all around the country. The spelling bee is an oral test, and generally regarded as trickier than a written test. Max says he found the word exchequer most difficult; he won with gossamer. After a bit of questioning he modestly admitted there’s a $5,000 prize which he’s putting aside for his future studies.

Hey, if you’re going to the shops, get us some ice cream. E tai, ka haere koe ki te toa, kia hokona ētahi aihikirimi mā tātou.

At Te Papa this summer, head into outer space on an interactive experience where gaming wizardry is combined with captivating live action, creating a high-stakes adventure! Saving Mars is bound to work up an appetite, so Te Papa are serving up an intergalactic menu featuring a Cosmic Burger – with edible soil from Mars (probably) and fries (from Earth), complemented with a glittering galaxy desert. A true inter-planetary experience! Book at tepapa.govt.nz/visit/exhibitions/destination-mars

You can explore a new self-guided walk in the Wellington Botanic Garden this month. The Gardens Trail will give Wellingtonians a free, fun day out, following the cancellation of popular music event Gardens Magic, which would have run through January. The walk will feature the Gardens Gallery, with art, large polycarbonate chandeliers, sculptures by artists Jason Hina and Johnny Turner, and sonic installations. The daytime trail runs for three weeks from 11 January. Find your map at wellington.govt.nz/gardens-trail

Wellington City Council is investigating bringing all outsourced council services back in-house, including rubbish collection, traffic management, road up-keep, water network and general maintenance. Nine of the 14 councillors said they would like to either consider or pursue a reversal of the current privatisation, but Councillor Nicola Young highlights possible pitfalls. “My feeling is that the council is already overwhelmed with policy work: why would you give them even more work? It’s going to cost millions.”

Two new species of lizard have recently been confirmed after genetic testing – a skink found in Southland’s Mataura Range and a gecko from the Nelson Lakes. This brings our endemic lizard tally to 126, greater than the number of endemic bird species. A recent report from DOC on our cold-blooded compadres said that 36.3 % of species were classified as Threatened, and 49.6 % At Risk. Just 3.7 % were Not Threatened. They say this is partly due to predation from mice, weasels, and feral cats. Find your local Predator Free Wellington group at pfw.org.nz

Capital Photographer of the Year is back for a second season, with three new categories. Enter online from 1 January at capitalmag.co.nz/cpoty, it's free. Whenua Whenua is land, territory, and the ground beneath our feet. In this category, photographers should celebrate the mighty lands and seas of Wellington that give us so much life. Warren & Mahoney: Structure From our dwellings to our roadways, the region we live in has been built by human hands over generations. This category celebrates the constructed elements that form Wellington. Masonic Villages Trust: Society A place is nothing without its people, and our region has some of the best. This category is all about showcasing the humans of Wellington – the things they do and the things they love. Inside NEW Never before have we spent so much time indoors. We want to see photography that reflects our intimate new relationship with our personal spaces. Movement NEW Show us movement in a still image. That’s the key to this category. We want to see subjects that are moving or that communicate the idea of motion. Rangatahi NEW This is an open category for photographers aged 21 and under. We want to celebrate our creative rangatahi, whether you’re in high school, university, or still on the playground.

by Lewis Ferris Helping Hand

High St Dairy by George Staniland