Our local Taiao

Compare and contrast

Introduction:

In week 2 and 3, Kahu students went to the Botanic Gardens and Tōtara Park to investigate the differences and similarities between the two. Sadly, I was away for our trip to Tōtara due to my sickness. Luckily, going to the Botanic Gardens wasn’t a problem and since I’ve been to Tōtara Park before, I still have clear memories of my trips there. So, what did I see?

What does Tōtara look like?

When I went to Tōtara Park, I went through the main entrance which was where the car park is. The car park had a little bit of rubbish, from small plastic wrappers to flattened take away boxes. It wasn’t really dirty but it wasn’t that clean either, there would be little to no rubbish along your walks. When I walked around Tōtara park for Cross Country, it was peaceful. You could hear the water flowing from the streams, birds singing, dancing and prancing with their friends and families. The sun was out, yet it had just rained so fresh rainwater could be seen dripping and sliding off the leaves of the trees. Overall I think that it’s a great environment but still needs to be taken care of.

 What does The Botanic Gardens look like?

When I entered Botanic Gardens, it was more open than Tōtara, there’s more space to look around and plants to inspect. It has a massive open field and a lot of space. It’s mostly man made and specific plantations are made to nurture specific trees/plants. Certain trees are planted so birds are able to live in a protective environment. It’s a lot smaller than Tōtara Park, yet it still gives a good vibe and warm feeling when you enter the area.

What are their differences and similarities?

Even though they are both connected to nature and mainly are about nature, they both have their differences and similarities. Starting with their plants. Tōtara Park is more wildlife and natural, while on the other hand, the Botanic Gardens is more taken care of so they have people who plant new plants every day; giving us a perspective that the place is more man-made and not all-natural. The statues and buildings at the Botanical Gardens are also signs that it’s much more different than Totara Park, Botanical Gardens is something that was kept preserved so people could find interest in native belongings and for people to explore, Tatara is a place where natural life is open to exploration. Yet both are free entry!