Thousands of newly planted native and exotic trees - including a blazing red ‘lava flow’ of Pohutukawa - will line the leafy streets of Stonefields, according to a streetscape design being worked up by Landco and landscaping consultancy Natural Habitats.
Trees and open space are key attributes of a Stonefields street design that is costing over $1.4 million, excluding trees to be planted within the properties and reserves.
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“Street trees are an important part of Stonefields, which has open space running right throughout the community“, says Project Manager Kevin Aleksich. “We’re taking a great deal of care to ensure that the trees we plant will suit the environment they’re in and over time become a way of navigating around the community.”
As the Stonefields environment will encourage walking as its preferred mode of transport, the tree-lined streets will provide shade for pedestrians, as well as a visual break from residential housing. Kevin Aleksich says: “Looking down from the top of Maungarei Mt Wellington onto Stonefields in summer, the blooming red of the Pohutukawa flowers along the layout of the main boulevards will mimic lava flows from the mountain.”
| The Stonefields team is working with Natural Habitats to develop the streetscape design based on three key platforms: ecology & sustainability, character & education and human intimacy.
The tree species have been selected after extensive research and consultation with Auckland City Council arborists. The species have been chosen for their proven survival rates, amenity and future maintenance costs once established.
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Landco is now working with Auckland City Council to finalise the streetscape design. “As well as the iconic Pohutukawa, we are using a selection of exotics in certain areas of the site to integrate the existing neighbourhoods into our more natively planted streets, providing a connection to Maungarei Mt Wellington”, says Kevin.
The heart of the site, the lake, will be planted with natives. The main boulevards, parkways and cliff edges will connect to the lake through a red flowering mix of natives and exotics. As Kevin says: “Moving through the middle of the site, the native / exotic mix will continue to reinforce an idea that as we move towards the heart of the site you are moving back in time.”
With a well thought-through and detailed streetscape design in place, a comprehensive, relevant and interesting series of streets will inform residents where they are within Stonefields and provide them will a high quality and attractive environment.
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