Say it with flowers: expressions of Pakeha culture

Abstract

The quarter-acre section and the family suburban garden associated with it are characteristic of housing and garden design found predominantly in New Zealand and parts of Australia. The form of this type of garden expresses elements of the history, beliefs and values of the descendants of immigrants to New Zealand in the nineteenth century, whose idealism was strongly influenced by the dreams of wealth and equal opportunity, the desire for land, and thoughts of social justice. This thesis is about the Pakeha culture which has emerged from these beginnings. By interviewing gardeners and examining recent New Zealand literature on culture and identity, the author attempts to identify that culture's characteristics. Art is one way in which a culture is interpreted and expressed, and many of our gardens are works of art. Thus by examining the meanings given by gardeners to their work, it is possible to observe the changes occurring in this Pakeha culture. The thesis discusses what appear to be three distinctly different phases in our cultural development. These are respectively seen in the picture garden, the paradise garden, then a new Pakeha pattern emerges which for convenience is called an environmental pick 'n' mix style, expressive of new social processes. This last phase corresponds to an emerging culture which is strongly influenced by the quest for personal independence, a concern for the environment, a thirst for information and a desire for privacy. The literature search examined the meaning of culture, gardens, and Pakeha and reviewed the attitudes to gardening associated with our European past. Gardeners were interviewed in depth about the philosophies that currently influence their gardening. These views are examined in terms of the gardens themselves. The focus was on designs, patterns, beliefs and symbols, which were seen to represent the emerging culture of the present day. The findings suggest shifts in our culture. These shifts show how Pakeha have moved away from the European influences of the nineteenth century to a New Zealand lifestyle based on newly-emerged beliefs and values.