Our sort of garden

Today I deliberately deferred my run to the middle of the day, as a break from the computer keyboard. Also with the intention that I could meet the challenge for the week, garden.

Thought that the best route would be to go through part of the university grounds, and then Albert Park. I certainly found a number of potential scenes. As it happened the first was the choice.

This is in the University of Auckland grounds, and is an old and well established garden area. The building on the right has been here for many years, by New Zealand standards. Known as Old Government House, this building was erected in 1856 as the seat of Government until in 1865 the capital moved to Wellington. For the next more than 100 years it was Auckland's vice-regal residence, and the monarch stayed there on six occasions. HM Elizabeth II broadcast her Christmas speech to the Commonwealth from this building in 1953.

In 1969, the building (and land) was transferred to the University, and Old Government House now serves as the Staff Common Room. It also contains flats for visiting academics.

Although this part of the gardens is not as old as the mansion, it has an air of age and comfort. There are rose gardens, and a few rose flowers can be seen. In the left foreground is a Magnolia as is the larger tree on the right.

When I was a student in Dunedin the coming of spring was heralded by the flowering of an extremely large old magnolia campbelli, which would then be visited every weekend by local citizens. Located in the near centrally placed Gardens, it was a place for university students to walk in, run in and woo in. Did all in my time there.

Take a look at this in large

Just a wee update about Monday's post. I commented that the most likely outcome was its removal. I went past there on today's run, and the fence was pristine white, with not a shred of evidence to show that anything had been there just 48 hours before. Guilty conscience, anyone?