Flamboyant Flowers on the Beach, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

After the previous day’s wet hike on the Taranaki Falls Trail in Mt. Tongariro National Park, both Bob and I came down with colds.  It was time for some R&R and a slower paced couple of days before we made the ferry crossing to New Zealand’s South Island.  Absolute Beachfront B&B in Napier made a good spot for just that.  Masses of flamboyant flowers on the beach were just waiting to be discovered by Bob and me.

Early that morning, I languished under the covers while Bob went to explore the beach just outside of our room.  It wasn’t long before he came back to check on me and beckon me outdoors to see the beach awash in blossoms.

Located on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, the area is known for weather not unlike that of the Mediterranean.  After breakfast, when I mustered the energy to step out onto the patio, I found the air quite chilly.  Wind was sweeping in over the Pacific Ocean from the southwest cooling the otherwise 16°-Celsius temperature.

At first, the beach seemed unremarkable.  As would be expected, loads of debris lay along the high tide line running in both directions.

Looking southeast, we could see Bluff Hill Lookout outlined against the vast blueness of the ocean.

My eye, however, was drawn to the sprawling riot of colour when looking in the opposite direction.

It was then that I took note of the plantings in front of the beachfront properties.  I presumed that the flowers had been cultivated.

All along the beach running in both directions, the homes had showy borders of flamboyant flowers that had jumped the fences and were rambling.

As far as the eye could see, a carpet of sunny blooms reached towards the water’s edge.

I had to assume that the flowers were self-seeded, having escaped the confines of the nearby gardens.  They certainly were well adapted to the habitat and were making inroads into the unforgiving and inhospitable beach sand.

Upon closer inspection, I was delighted to discover a lovely combination of colours that bedazzled me.  Spikes of Aloe Maculata bearing orange blossoms were few and far between.

The flashy yellow blooms of Gazania were familiar to me having used these plants as annuals in my own garden at home in Ontario.  Native to coastal areas of South Africa, they spread by trailing stems.  In New Zealand, they have become naturalized and are declared a weed.

In doing a little research, I discovered that this striking garden plant is called Spur Valerian.  It hails originally from the Mediterranean and is commonly used as a garden plant.

Sporting pink, magenta or white flowers, Spur Valerian is spreading relentlessly and poses a threat to native species.

With California Orange Poppies scampering around my feet, I cringed at the thought that they, too, threaten the existence of native grasses and herbs.  The seeds of this plant were inadvertently brought to New Zealand by miners in the ballasts of their ships after the California Gold Rush ended.

In this photo, the predominant Coastal Bush Lupine with the pale yellow blossoms forms a soft background for the more vibrantly coloured flowers.  This species of Lupine is an evergreen shrub that is native to California, U.S.A.  It, too, is an invasive species that changes the chemistry of the soil to the detriment of native species.

As we sauntered back to our room, I felt guilty taking so much pleasure from the exuberant display of wildflowers.  It was encouraging to think that an organization called BioDiversity Hawke’s Bay is deeply involved in weed removal, restoration of habitat and planting of native species throughout the area around Napier.

The fresh air and flamboyant flowers painting the beach landscape did serve to pick up my spirits, so we began making plans for the rest of the day.

Frame to Frame – Bob and Jean