Up Close and Personal

Acaena novae-zelandiae (piripiri)

New Zealand native flora has a subtlety in its colour and form that is often overlooked.  The eye of a macro lens uncovers a wonderfully detailed world of intricate beauty.

Otari Native Plant Museum in Wellington is a hidden treasure with one of the best collections of native plants in New Zealand, all easily accessible and beautifully displayed.   An inspiring place to see how our special indigenous plants could be used in a garden or landscape - or just as a fantastic exploration of nature at its best.  Mid November on this visit saw a wonderous display of flowers in all shapes and sizes.

Aciphylla ferox

 Xeronema callistemon (Poor Knights lily)

 Fucshia excorticata (with its amazing blue pollen)!

Discaria tomatou (matakoura or matagouri)

 Geranium traversii

 Clianthus puniceus (kakabeak)

 Pachystegia insignis (Marlborough rock daisy)

 (grass orchid)

 Phormium cookianum

Carpodetus serratus (putaputaweta)

Viola lyallii

Rubus parvus (ground lawyer)

 Veronica treadwellii

moss

Plan Bee Campaign

I was really excited to be a part of the recent NZ Gardener Plan Bee campaign,  that aimed to encourage bee friendly gardens and included a packet of wildflower seeds of plants that provide a good source of nectar for bees.

I illustrated the stories that supported the campaign in the magazine including a calendar for planting and the seed packet with images of bees and wildflowers.  The brief was bright and colourful and reminiscent of old-style Edwardian and Victorian seed packets

Feedback has been great, and its just nice to be involved in any way with supporting and promoting the protection of our pollinating insects.

 Its appropriate that in my own garden the spring blossoms have been providing a great source of nectar and pollen for bees and insects.  Experimenting with my newly acquired macro lens shows off the beauty of these amazing sources of sustenance for invertebrates.

 A spring onion flower head.

 Calendula officinalis

Geranimum 'Rozanne'

and the first plum blossoms.

Here are some of the illustrations for the campaign.

Exploring the Cradle of Russia

A day trip out of St Petersburg to the first and most ancient city in Russia, Velikiy Novgorod was an experience back in time to the mid 9th century and a wonderful encounter with rural Russia.

 The monastary of Yuviev on the banks of the Volkhov river, with the St George Cathedral at its centre.  A stunning example of medieval architecture with its simple but beautiful proportions and teh ever-present Russian style helmet cupola.

 The fresco painting of the interior was breathtaking in its beauty.

 The traditional wooden architecture of northern Russia was showcased at an outdoor museum (Vitoslavlitsky) where wooden buildings from the early 19th century have been rescued and restored to protect an architectural heritage that has been mostly destroyed by war and the ravages of time.

 From an early windmill

 to a traditional fencing style - known as the drunken fence

 To the intricately carved all timber church, barn and house buildings that represent a building craft that is both functional and beautiful in its simplicity and form.  The following pictures say it all.

 The Kremlin (old Russian for fortification) of Novgorod is impressive and a World Heritage site.  The bell tower, shown in the first image on this post tells the story of the bells of Novgorod - from ancient times the main bell at the Cathedral of St Sophia (above), Russia's oldest Christian church called its people to meetings.  Legend says that after Novgorod was pillaged by Ivan 3rd the bell (a symbol of popular sovereignty) was to be taken to Moscow.  On the way the bell was said to shatter and its fragments taken into peasant households throughout the region - which kept alive Novgorod's spirit of liberty.  The bell is today revered as a reminder of the traditions that once lay at the heart of the cradle of Russia.  Beautiful bronze bells remain the traditional souvenir of Novgorod.