At last a moment to try another water colour. Back to a smaller A6 postcard format and a new larger brush bought with Polly in KL. I learnt a lot from trying to capture these trees that were blowing about in the wind on the steep slopes of the gardens. 

A sign pointed out that:

This pine is common in New Zealand but critically endangered in its native California. These pines were planted here in the 1870s as part of a trail to assess the economic potential of various tree species. Pinus radiata proved to be the most successful and is the mainstays of New Zealand’s forestry industry. 

The trees in New Zealand are now an important seed bank for those disappearing in North America.