10:05 am today

Jack Hobbs: "Plants are good for us!"

From Nine To Noon, 10:05 am today
Jack Hobbs, who has just retired as curator / manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens. He's worked at the gardens for nearly five decades.

Jack Hobbs, who has just retired as curator / manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens. He's worked at the gardens for nearly five decades. Photo: supplied

Nearly 50 years ago, a young landscape recruit in Auckland began working on transforming some farmland in Manurewa into what is now the beautiful Auckland Botanic Gardens.

His name was Jack Hobbs -  and he went on to become one of the country's pre-eminent horticulturalists. Jack Hobbs has been curator/manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens since 1997, he had 20 years running the botanic garden plant breeding programme, he's author of numerous books on plants, and host and presenter of TV and radio gardening shows.

Jack Hobbs has just retired from Auckland Council after 48 years.