Passionate plantsman Gordon Bailey has been rewarded for decades of work in horticulture with a fellowship with the Royal New Zealand Institute of

Horticulture (RNZIH). Gordon, who has been the Central Otago District Council’s parks and recreation manager since 2018, is one of five horticulturists nationally to be awarded a fellowship for services to horticulture.  

As well as an active and innovative career spanning more than 30 years in parks and recreation, Gordon has worked and volunteered across a range of conservation and

horticultural institutions, at national and international level.

His work with rhododendrons includes identifying and saving some species from extinction in their native habitat, as part of an international, co-ordinated effort,

according to a council media statement.

Under his chairmanship, the Taranaki-based Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust Board has taken the lead on this initiative. Pukeiti is owned by Taranaki Regional Council and is

one the Southern Hemisphere’s largest collection of rhododendrons. In the past five years, the Pukeiti Ex-Situ Rhododendron Conservation Strategy has been

established. ‘Ex situ’ is a botanists’ term to ensure species are not lost.

 “The basis of this strategy is to determine what rhododendron species grow or have at one time been grown in New Zealand; are they endangered or extinct in their

native habitat,” Mr Bailey said.

“It means obtaining propagation material, growing that on and distributing to identified sites to grow. It is hoped longer term that we can then supply plant material

back to where they used to grow in the wild.”

One of the many beautiful rhododendron species Gordon has been helping to save.

Rhododendrons are a very large genus of 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae), which are either evergreen or deciduous and found mainly in Asia – Sumatra, China, Vietnam, Sikkim, Nepal and India.

The plants grow in a variety of conditions, from the forest floor in the tropics to more than 4500 metres above sea level in the Himalayas.

 “They grow well in Central Otago and most established gardens would have at least one plant – probably a hybrid rather than a species.”

A big rhodo fan, the plants have taken Mr Bailey to China six times in the past 30 years.

“I like them not just for their flowers but also their leaves, bark and new growth. Having said that, I like all plants.” Traditionally, the institute’s awards are made in a ceremony associated with the Annual General Meeting of the Institute.

However, because of Covid-19, it is likely that the AGM for 2022 will be virtual, in which case, the awards ceremony for Mr Bailey to get his fellowship will be held in

2023, the centenary year for the RNZIH.

Among his achievements and horticultural highlights are NZRA Ian Galloway Award (2000) and a Fellowship (2012) for work with Recreation Aotearoa, six trips to China

as part of rhododendron projects, memberships of the International Dendrology Society (since 1988); NZ Horticultural Industry Training Organisation (chairman from

2000 to 2007); New Zealand Rhododendron Association for 36 years (president from 2009 to 2012); Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust Inc., as a board member since 2003,

and President since 2012; and the Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture (since 1985).

He has also been an enthusiastic garden and Rotary club member.