Aotea by Bicycle
A four night trip circumnavigating Aotea with good friends. We ride the back roads to explore the local geology and ecology on our very first foray into bike packing.
Kumano Kodo - The Nakahechi Route
A popular pilgrimage in the remote countryside of Japan. On this journey we encountered lush forests, friendly critters, welcoming locals, quaint villages, and rich histories.
Ruahine Ranges
A winter mission into the heart of the Ruahine ranges from Renfrew Road to Pourangaki hut and back again.
Lessons in Shrubbery and Hedging from Belmont
Garden centres and buyers consistently pump a very limited selection of tried and true native species into hedges. Exemplified by the proliferation of Griselinia, Corokia and Pittosporum sp. that make up the leafy walls of our suburbs. There is nothing wrong with these species in themselves, but we are missing out on wonderful array of natives suited to this job.
South African Succulent Gardens
Undulating brown hummocks are pierced by the spiny, thick-leaved māhoe (Melicytus crassifolius). Fluffy cream heads of bunnytail grass (Lagurus ovatus) help create a layered separation between plants and together with pig’s ear and Agapanthus praecox, the whole composition takes on a coastal wildflower aesthetic or that of grandma’s unkempt bach.
Realms of Raukawa
Raukaua anomalus is an a rather anonymous shrub and to many, perhaps not very interesting. But a divaricating araliad makes an aptly named anomaly in a family of 1500 species, most being larger-leaved tropical plants.
Manuka on Spheroids
The scrubland is a low, lime carpet of Hebe ligustrifolia, Leucopogon fasiculatus and Coprosma arborea rolling away under mānuka with a prostrate growth habit. Terry Hatch was responsible for bringing this form of mānuka into cultivation and is now sold at nurseries as Leptospermum ‘Mahinepua’.
Rhododendron of the Forgotten Highway
Away from the crumpled cans of Woodstock and Bourbon, these Rhododendron wrestle their orange branches off the ground and into neatly trimmed umbellate forms with the help of grazing animals. Their sunken existence in this hollow makes for a spectacular show, navigating the writhing branches and walking under this long pink cloud is akin to some strangely colourful dream.