Posts by Leigh Russell
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Capture: Ans Westra - Ngā Tau ki Muri…, in reply to Ian Dalziel,
Owen Wilkes memorial bench
Hi Ian, thanks for mentioning this. I had a vague sense of who he was but no particular knowledge. A brave life with a tragic end. I shall look for the bench when I next visit and have a quiet sit there - a fittingly tranquil spot. The photo above shows one of the park benches there, probably not Owen's one. (If I had had the placement of it I would have put it on the side I took the photo from.)
Oh, and I realise that earlier I said that Beckenham Park was in St Martins, which is incorrect. It is of course in Beckenham!
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Capture: Ans Westra - Ngā Tau ki Muri…, in reply to Ian Dalziel,
Oh, Barbadoes, of course - thank you Ian! :-)
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Capture: Autumn lite, in reply to Hebe,
Hi Hebe, yes, I live near Dunedin. Frost free? er, no! Beautiful certainly, and in relation to gardening it's just a matter of adjusting a little, largely in relation to the shorter hot spells of summer, so the vege growing season is different. For example, forget tomatoes unless you have a glass house - they just don't have long enough to ripen properly..
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Capture: Autumn lite, in reply to Hebe,
Indeed it is - candy pink!
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And now, making an effort to get a bit more on track, here is another Autumn image. It's a rare eucalyptus which grows near our place, the name of which I cannot recall just now. It flowers on an Olympian scale - gets absolutely covered with them.
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Capture: Autumn lite, in reply to Kebabette,
Hi Kebabette, I have been meaning to congratulate you on your fabulously lit photos of the building facade which you posted earlier in this thread. I think it may be the same building as this one – my much less dramatic image – which is just around the corner from Alice’s… Sad state of affairs but I loved the stripped-bare nature of the construction and support work.
Autumn orange signage? Okay, only kidding! However, it was taken in Autumn - last year.
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Some people act generously to others simply because that is their way. The large house that stood at this address was demolished due to earthquake damage. The massive old trees remained. My friend who lives next door mowed that frontage as well as his own – and even swept the footpath afterwards - there he is in the distance! No one asked him to do it or paid him – he just did it. Nice one, R.!
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In this context Gap Fillers, also of Christchurch, have to be mentioned: they are a heartwarming demonstration of the difference that small and highly motivated groups of individuals can make to a community. At a time when empty sections resulting from demolitions were to be found in ever increasing numbers these imaginative people made them into fun features which invite everyone to join in and enjoy them – Hurrah!!! Here is their Butterfly Gap (on Madras Street?). A placard on the fence invites visitors to rest their wings. A closer look revealed a large shrub to be a buddlia, a plant much favoured by butterflies.
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This photo is of the same park taken some months later from the other side of the pond . It’s so pretty…
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That small and decidedly personal collaboration with the City Council made me much more aware of the role local body councils have in planning, forming and maintaining our parks and reserves. These are such a vital part of the beauty and desirability of any community.
This is Beckenham Park in St Martins, Christchurch. I took this photo in late 2011 along with many others showing Earthquake havoc.
All during that time the parks seemed to be maintained and groomed. In the midst of widespread chaos these were oasis' of order and serenity. How badly these were needed: the rivers and beaches were fouled with raw sewerage, the Port Hills out of bounds due to rockfalls, practically all the city's nightspots, eateries, libraries and cinemas were wrecked or shut down... Take a bow, all you wonderful parks workers!
