On 2009-12-27 16:47:27 +0000, Gopher said:

In message , Sacha writes
On 2009-12-27 12:38:34 +0000, Gopher said:

In message , Sacha writes
Anyone else going to do the flower count on 1st Jan? If Ray isn't up
to it I'll struggle round on my own. ;-)
We'll probably squelch our way round our very soggy patch in Dorset.
Clay can be helpful under some conditions but not under those which
have recently prevailed. Returning the other day from NZ where spring
and early summer were the order of the day, current weather is
something of a shock! We have a bad case of lupinitis - they were
wonderful!

Oh, I'm SO glad you saw them! They're a wonderful sight and although
the natives tend to think of them as a pest, I think they've also
realised that we tourists are just blown away by the sight and scent.
Where did you go, what did you see etc?!

snip

I don't want to bore the group with my impressions but with the slashes
of gold and pale yellow from the broom and gorse towards the North and
the oceans of multicoloured lupins in the South - especially in the
broad braided river beds - the landscape frequently looked almost
artificial in its beauty. Viper's bugloss, various verbenas and a large
number of wildflowers with which I am not familiar will present a
definite challenge to the image printer in which I am told I will soon
be investing! And I have always been perfectly content with the CD/DVD
option :-)) Oh - and the banks of wild roses! Although I know that many
of the locals and the excellent DoC (Dept. of Conservation) are much
irked by these non native species, I cannot think of many more
enchanting places to be during spring and early summer than NZ -
especially South Island.

We certainly agree on all counts. I told my children when we got back
that if I'd gone out there when younger, they'd now have a different
mother, because I'd have stayed there, I think. It's the most
wonderful country and the landscapes just take your breath away. When
we spent our last few days there, we were in Devonport and the
Pohutekawa trees were in bloom - it was a wonderful picture and
terribly hard to tear ourselves away.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon