u/he_whai_reko_e_kopa

https://preview.redd.it/xgsjb7il7oah1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b4bbcd5fa3ae30d5957ddb0acceaaf11e7475ec

I've been harvesting the kawakawa from my garden for years, and for the first time this week I came across a whole branch on one of the kawakawa trees and it was variegated!

Has anyone else come across variegation in kawakawa before? Have any photos to share? I think it's really beautiful and I'd love to see more.

The kawakawa spot in my garden was just a few bushes when I first moved here and it's now self-seeded into a whole grove, it's fantastic.

Ata mārie ki a koutou, I hope everyone is well this morning and keeping warm!

I'm trying to get the grammar correct but the articles are vexing me; I'm trying to describe improving the characteristics of a material and what I've come up with is "mā hea hikitia ngā āhuatanga" - 'by improving the inherent qualities'

or should it read "mā e hikitia ngā āhuatanga"?

Thanks in advance! Kia pai to rā