People often think NZ native plants are dull and boring, but I assure you that they absolutely are not. Sure, they can be subtle and you have to pay attention, but as someone famous once said, “nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty”. Not too much effort required to admire these two native beauties: kiokio fern (Parablechnum novae-zelandiae) and puawānanga, white clematis (Clematis paniculata).