Finally…..

It has been too long since I’ve published anything and I apologize. No excuses.

This is a beautiful shot of Milford Sound in New Zealand. I visited August/22. I did not take this picture but wanted to share it with you for its serene yet exciting beauty.

New Zealand is such a botanical paradise with its incredible array and the fact that it’s completely snake-free is a huge bonus.

Here’s an excerpt from an article from the New Zealand Department of Conservation:

The native flora of New Zealand is unique as it evolved in isolation for millions of years.

80% of our trees, ferns and flowering plants are endemic (found only in New Zealand).

About 10–15% of the total land area of New Zealand is covered with native flora, from tall kauri and kohekohe forests to rainforest dominated by rimu, beech, tawa, matai and rata; ferns and flax; dunelands with their spinifex and pingao; alpine and subalpine herb fields; and scrub and tussock. 

The Maori, who were the original scientists of New Zealand, used and continue to use botanicals for healing and other purposes. Māori used a range of traditional methods to deal with illness. Plants such as kawakawa, harakeke (flax), kōwhai and mānuka were all important for healing.

On another note, Wikipedia indicates, “New Zealand‘s geographical isolation has meant the country has developed a unique variety of native flora. However, human migration has led to the importation of many other plants (generally referred to as ‘exotics’ in New Zealand) as well as widespread damage to the indigenous flora, especially after the advent of European colonisation, due to the combined efforts of farmers and specialised societies dedicated to importing European plants & animals.”

To summarize, New Zealand is very diverse, with rainforests, deserts, oceans, mountains, and glaciers all very near each other. Botanically, every inch of the country is rich with flowers, shrubs, and trees, native and introduced….and all without snakes!