In the garden today. Image: Su Leslie 2020
nature
As I get older, I appreciate the natural world more and more and this is reflected in my photography and writing.
Lemon bergamot flower up close
Posted to Monday Macro
Curve
Fern fronds. Image: Su Leslie 2019Incoming
Image: Su Leslie 2020
Friday Flowers
#fridayflowers
Saving, and savouring, daylight
Rural landscape, just south of Auckland, NZ. Image: Su Leslie 2020
When the boy-child was small and had limitless, mother-draining energy, I loathed daylight saving. I spent those long evenings wrangling the solar-powered monster into bed so I could — finally, finally — stop for the day.
I think overall I still prefer light in the early morning when I’m more alert, but I can’t deny that it’s incredibly pleasant to watch a landscape slowly turn ever more golden while having a beer on the deck with friends.
Not my deck in this case — our views aren’t nearly as spectacular.
Grounds for hope
New growth on the smaller of my road-trip hydrangeas. Image: Su Leslie 2020
The hydrangea bushes (well, full-sized plant and little stem) brought back from Whanganui are both looking healthy and have new growth.
New flowers on the larger road-trip hydrangea. Image: Su Leslie 2020
Not quite knowing how to care for my gifted plants, I’ve read and tried to follow advice both online and in print. For now, it seems that lavish amounts of attention and water have been enough.
A belated contribution to the Ragtag Daily Prompt | hope
Monday Macro
#proactivehopefulness
Change
Open and shut
Su Leslie 2019
Su Leslie 2019
In my new spirit of proactive hopefulness, I’m going to believe that what is shut will eventually open.
A special place
Image: Su Leslie 2019Last November I visited Taranaki in New Zealand’s North Island for the annual garden festival. Armed with my carefully annotated programme and map, I criss-crossed the provence, visiting an array of private gardens whose owners had kindly opened them to the public for the duration of the festival.
All were beautiful and interesting, but the one that has proved to be the most memorable was neither on my list, nor a private garden.
Entrance, Hollard Gardens, Kaponga, Taranaki, NZ. Image: Su Leslie 2019Hollard Gardens was established in 1927 by the then owners, Bernie and Rose Hollard. While the garden is now owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council, “Hollard Gardens is unique in the fact that it is an achievement of almost a lifetime of work by a private individual. It is a plantsman’s garden and a reflection of patience and horticultural skill.” (The History of Hollards)
Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Hollard Gardens, Taranaki. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Mt Taranaki, from Hollard Gardens, Taranaki. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Hollard Gardens, Taranaki. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Hollard Gardens, Taranaki. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
“Bernie selected his plants based on personal appeal and whether they would fill gaps in his existing collections of species or varieties. The overall design of the garden considered not only the aesthetics, but whether a plant would thrive in its environment.” (The History of Hollards)
The gardens consist of several areas, including a woodland glade, avenues of lawn lined with different rhododendrons, hydrangeas and other flowering shrubs, and a kitchen garden.
Detail, bug hotel, Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Kitchen garden, Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Kitchen garden, Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Kitchen garden, Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Kitchen garden, Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Kitchen garden, Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Kitchen garden, Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Kitchen garden, Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Kitchen garden, Hollard Gardens. Image: Su Leslie 2019
Bug hotel, Holland Gardens, Taranaki, NZ. Image: Su Leslie 2019
It was the kitchen garden that made Hollard so memorable and special for me. It was one of several organic gardens I visited that have been designed according to permaculture principles, but the most accessible and informative.
That the garden is managed by the Regional Council demonstrates an official commitment to sustainable food production which I find refreshing and reassuring.
Lens-Artist Photo Challenge | a special spot
Also posted to Friday Flowers
Grateful for every drop of rain
Raindrops on hydrangea flowers. Image: Su Leslie 2020
The bush-fire orange cast in our skies yesterday had largely blown away by evening, and this morning we woke to find it had rained overnight. Since no more is forecast for this week, I am feeling incredibly grateful for the little bit of relief the rain brought both to the garden and our air quality.
Raindrops on blue borage flower. Image: Su Leslie 2020
Posted to Macro Monday
