Pukeiti

 
 
Much of New Plymouth is built on land
only a few metres above the original beach
sea level.
 
From the CBD the slope gains steepness,
exponentially as the road comes closer to the summit of
Mt Taranaki which even now, in the height
of summer I can see from my home still has patches
of snow. It’s cold up there.
 
One advantage of this climate is that as I leave my driveway,
turn right and point my car towards the mountain’s summit,
the altitude rises and the vegetation changes
accordingly.
 
It amuses my friends to see addresses such as mine
which says Lower Vogeltown. There are many
Upper and Lower roads and streets here in Taranaki,
It makes sense because of the pointy nature of this Province.
 
What Taranaki offers plants is a slight nip in the air,
reminiscent of the Himalaya’s for some flora of which
Rhododendrons, Azaleas are two, both in the photo above.
 

Dogwood

 
 
In this hemisphere of the planet
this is the time for Dogwood
to be flourishing.
 
As an Aucklander
I wasn’t aware of Dogwood
until I began to
spend more time in
cooler parts of New Zealand.
 
I’ve photographed Dogwood
three or four times in the last
couple of years and the photo
above is my most recent attempt.
 
This particular image was taken
with my new iPhone, in Pukekura Park
here in New Plymouth.
 

Taranaki Landscape

 
 
 
Driving down, last Friday, the beautiful coast road from
Awakino to New Plymouth, as I often do, I saw,
and noticed, probably for the seventh or eighth time
this uptorn root system.
 
On this occasion, although I was very anxious to get
home and had already driven past it, I
stopped the car, turned around and went
back. It took some willpower, but I’m glad
otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this post.
 
Notice the remains of a pa site on the hill in the background.
Time is softening the look of these sites.