Adams Arboretum, located at 53 Adams Road in Greendale on the Canterbury Plains, is a historic arboretum established by pioneer forester and farmer Thomas William Adams (1842–1919). Adams, who took up virgin tussock land at Greendale in 1865, began planting trees soon after settling the exposed plains, initially for shelter, fuel and timber, and later for systematic planting trials. He corresponded widely with botanists around the world and imported seed and plants, creating by the early 20th century one of New Zealand’s most comprehensive early exotic tree collections. By 1908 he had established an arboretum of some 800 species of trees and shrubs, almost all introduced, reflecting global plant diversity and early acclimatisation efforts in New Zealand forestry and horticulture. Adams was a key early advocate for Pinus radiata and other species for New Zealand’s forestry development (Wikipedia).

The arboretum represents an important piece of Canterbury’s botanical and forestry history. Adams’s work influenced shelterbelt planting and plantation forestry practices locally and nationally, and his estate provided important early provenance material for planting trials. In his will, Adams bequeathed a portion of his planted land and funds to establish forestry education at Canterbury College (now the University of Canterbury).

Although the arboretum lapsed from active management for much of the 20th century, the Greendale Community Trust has restored and promoted it as a heritage site, installing signage and walkways to enable public access and interpretation of the surviving historic tree collection. The site contains significant tree plantings dating from the mid-1860s through the early 1900s and continues to be a focal point for appreciation of early exotic and experimental plantings in Canterbury.

NZNTT, January, 2020

References
1] Thomas William Adams. (n.d.). Wikipedia.
2] Journey to our arboretums – TW Adams Arboretum, www.selwyn.nz.
3] Thomas William Adams biography, Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.