Dunedin's Damp Embrace: A Botanist's Slightly Chaotic Field Notes
okay, so. dunedin. new zealand. it’s… something. i’m still peeling the damp off my boots, honestly. i just checked and it's drizzling a persistent, almost apologetic rain there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. it’s not exactly sunshine and rainbows, but it is green. intensely, aggressively green. like, the plants are winning. which, as a botanist, is pretty much my dream, right?
I came here chasing a rumor - a whisper amongst the moss-covered elders of the botanical world - about a particularly resilient strain of Celmisia growing on the Otago Peninsula. Apparently, it’s adapted to the brutal winds and the constant moisture in a way no other Celmisia has. Sounds thrilling, doesn’t it? Less thrilling was the fact that finding it involved scrambling over rocks slick with algae and battling a wind that threatened to steal my hat (and possibly my dignity).
I spent a good chunk of yesterday wandering around the *Dunedin Botanic Garden. It’s… well, it’s a garden. A big one. Lots of roses (which, let’s be honest, are a bit boring for me), but also some really interesting native plants tucked away in the corners. I overheard someone complaining about the lack of signage for the Hebe collection. Apparently, it’s a local obsession. I’ll add it to my list. You can check out their website here: https://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/parks-and-recreation/botanic-garden.
“Don’t go near the Larnach Castle grounds after dark. Something about a gardener who disappeared… and the roses still bloom out of season.”
That was a drunk bloke at the Speight’s Alehouse. I’m not usually one for ghost stories, but the way he said it… and the fact that the castle does look pretty creepy shrouded in mist… well, it gave me pause. I did a quick search on TripAdvisor https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g255887-d192438-Reviews-Larnach_Castle_and_Gardens-Dunedin_Otago_Region_South_Island.html and found a few mentions of strange occurrences, but nothing concrete. Still, I’ll stick to daytime explorations, thanks.
I’m staying in a tiny Airbnb near George Street. It’s… cozy. Let’s go with cozy. The walls are thin, and I can hear the seagulls squawking all night. Someone told me that the street’s always been a bit rough around the edges, but it’s got character. And the coffee shops are decent. I found a little place called “The Perc Cafe” - their flat white was surprisingly good. Check out their Yelp page https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-perc-cafe-dunedin if you’re looking for a caffeine fix.
If you get bored, invercargill is just a short drive away. I haven’t made it there yet, but I hear the Bill Richardson Transport World is… something else. I’m more interested in the flora, obviously.
Here’s a quick list of things I’ve learned so far:
*Rain gear is essential. Seriously. Don’t even think about leaving your accommodation without it.
*The wind is relentless. Hold onto your hats, your maps, and your sanity.
*The locals are friendly, even if they do have a slightly morbid sense of humor.
*The Celmisia is proving elusive. But I’m not giving up yet.
*The moss is everywhere. It’s beautiful, but also a bit creepy.
I’m heading out to Signal Hill* tomorrow to see if I can spot any more unusual plant life. Wish me luck (and dry weather!). I also found this interesting forum about local plants: https://www.nzplantfinder.co.nz/.