I have been interested in natural history and horticulture since I was a child, long, long ago. Indeed, I worked in a small natural history museum on the south coast of England for a number of years as a technician. I trained as a secondary science teacher but managed to swing this job when I left college and had great expectations but they were, alas. misplaced. Fast forward to New Zealand and we now live on a block of 5 acres which I now seldom leave, so most of my observations will be based here, although not exclusively. The previous property owners bred deer here so when we moved in it was pretty much a grass monoculture save for a small E. nitens woodlot and a few pittosporums, lacebarks and myaporums. We have tried over the last twenty years to increase biodiversity by planting a mixture of natives and exotics. It has not been easy, the clay soil can be waterlogged in the winter and baked dry in the summer. Then there is the wind to take into account. Many of our plantings have perished. What really thrives is gorse, Broom, and myaporum. The first two are a constant battle. Part of the property is on a steep slope and we are rapidly becoming too old to scramble up and down with backpacks of gorse spray, chainsaws and suchlike. Some interesting plants have started to appear of their own accord though, with the help of the wind and birds no doubt. Things have come a long way and hopefully will continue to do so for as long as we can manage the place. It’s a lot of work!

I would just like to thank those who have helped with identifications and those who help in the future. Your skill and expertise does not go unappreciated and if I can be of any assistance to anyone please dont hesitate to get in touch.

Anthony Bailey