Lessons in Shrubbery and Hedging from Belmont
Garden centres and buyers consistently pump a very limited selection of tried and true native species into hedges. Exemplified by the proliferation of Griselinia, Corokia and Pittosporum sp. that make up the leafy walls of our suburbs. There is nothing wrong with these species in themselves, but we are missing out on wonderful array of natives suited to this job.
Realms of Raukawa
Raukaua anomalus is an a rather anonymous shrub and to many, perhaps not very interesting. But a divaricating araliad makes an aptly named anomaly in a family of 1500 species, most being larger-leaved tropical plants.