My Backyard!

Last night the hailstorms were beating against the window and it seemed it might be another indoors day today but the morning was turning into a beautiful spring day so thought it a good chance to have a wee wonder through the top part of the Gardens where, if the hailstorm hadn't ruined them, the Rhodadendrams and Azaelas would be at their best. I am very lucky as it's a only a short 10 minutes away from my house and the walk up to the top is always beautiful

Sure enough, when I reached the top, the colours were breathtaking, the whole scene looking a little like a monet painting.
Once again, there was no one else about....( what do other people do on Sunday mornings! )

I've been wondering these gardens now for half a century.... Mum used to take us sometimes to feed the ducks and one of my earliest memories was Dad taking Judy & I on the bus to the Gardens one day to show us that our wee budgie was very happy in his new home with all his friends at the bird sanctury! We had left the cage door open for too long and were very upset that he was lost.
As a teenager I enjoyed biking here from South Dunedin and then when the boys were wee this was one of my favourite places to take them. And it's really nice to be in a place where youv'e been able to watch the trees grow slowly. I remember when the Azaeala Garden was first planted out and now it's world renoun.

And now when I walk the top way home I pass Nick's Castle On The Hill, looking very grand indeed standing in the sunshine. Maybe one day soon, after my Sunday walk, I'll pop in and he'll have lunch on the table for his old Ma!