Dusky Dolphins in New Zealand

Aihe - Dusky Dolphins

 

Here are two small paintings of Aihe or Dusky Dolphins, these are found mostly around the

South Island.  The photograph and film show some which came in to feed in

Enclosure Bay on Waiheke Island, then spent some time playing and putting on

a wonderful display.  Our Maui dolphins are the smallest and rarest and you

would be very lucky to see them, they are under extreme threat and now

number only about fifty.  This time of year we are not at the beach often

so it is a pleasure to remind ourselves of the sights during warmer weather.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2017

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some Autumn Birds in New Zealand

Some Autumn Birds

 

Here is a small painting of a tui in our garden in Autumn, it is unusual to see them

here at this time of year.  Normally they appear again about September when

they are thinking about nesting, but I was delighted to hear one chortling

away as I was planting some bulbs for Spring.  The bulbs are miniature white

daffodils so I am looking forward to seeing them in flower. I still have one

or two roses which have bravely survived cyclone weather and the rain and wind.

 

 

Here is an interesting photo of pied shags roosting on driftwood in the Waikanae estuary.

They breed nearby in an old macrocarpa tree, and the young are a lovely sight as they

perch near the water waiting for their parents to arrive with their next fish meal.  This time

of year they are just cleaning and drying out after their fishing espeditions.

 

 

In the background you can see a black swan, it's mate was not far away.

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective Blogspot

 

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2017

 

 

 

A Bunch of Flowers from New Zealand

A Bunch of Flowers

 

I just finished this painting of a bouquet of flowers which a friend received for her

birthday.  It contained a peony which won't grow here in my garden

as it is too warm, they mostlygrow in the South Island where they are

farmed for their amazing blooms.

At Dovedale near Nelson the roots are used to make an eczema ointment,

which is said to be very healing.

Here is my rendition of a celebration bunch of flowers.

 

 

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective blog

 

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2017

 

 

 

 

 

Foxgloves in a New Zealand Garden

Foxgloves in my garden

 

The foxgloves in my garden are now over, they were mostly of the wild kind

in shades of pinky mauve with darker blotches which seemed to attract the

bumble bees.  I did have one white one though with dark splotches of mauve

and also a pretty apricot one.

 

 

They will seed well for next year and no doubt the white and apricot will be

mauve as well by then.  They are one of my favourite flowers to grow for the bees.
 

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective

 

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2017

Green Knitting from New Zealand

 

Smoke Screen

This knitted work is called Smoke Screen and was made in response to the burning

of the worlds forests to increase profits from agriculture and building.

These knitted parrots are caught in the smoke and flames and although we hear

about the loss of the trees we do not hear about the wild life caught up in

a fire storm.  I have read about the charred bodies of the kiwi left behind after the

burning of the bush on D'Urville Island when it was cleared for farming.

 

 

 

 

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective blog

 

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2017

 

 



A Visit to the Winter Gardens in Auckland New Zealand

A Visit to the Auckland Winter Gardens

 

Just two weeks ago we paid a visit to the Winter Gardens in the Domain in

Auckland, and what a picture it was.  These photos are of some of the amazing

displays inside the Victorian style glass houses.  The Winter Gardens were

designed in the style of Gertrude Jeckyll and Edwin Lutyens and opened

in 1913.  One of the glass houses is heated and contains tropical plants

these photos were taken in the other one.

 

 

Delphiniums and snap dragons

 

 

Schizanthus

 

 

 

Mimulus

 

 

Delphiniums

 

The two glass houses are connected by a courtyard with a water lily pond

which contains some gold fish, and off to the side is a fernery which is

also well worth a wander through.

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective Blog

 

All images copyright Frances Jill Studd 2016

 

 

 

 

 

A Spring Garden in New Zealand

 

 

My Spring Garden

 

Here is a new watercolour and collage work to celebrate Spring, our garden

is full of blackbirds this year and I have spotted two nests.  Although they

are not native to New Zealand we love having them around - they clear out

so many slugs from our seedlings.  We have also had a bumper year with tui

feeding on nectar from our Kowhai trees.

 

 

Here is a photo of my first rose, it grew from a cutting from the Coromandel.

I believe that it is one of the first varieties to be grown in New Zealand and was

probably brought here by settlers in the nineteeth century.  It flowers early

and prolifically and has a lovely perfume.

 

 

All images copyright France Jill Studd 2016

 

 

Frances Jill Studd website

Midnight Collective Blogspot