We had about 3 centimeters of snow today...
Flights were delayed, and the transport system momentarily went kaput...
The last time we had 'so much' snow was 25 years ago...
Which means to say I can't be outdoors doing my thing...
So, photo taking it was...
These flowers are from the manuka tea plant that my missus just bought...
We already have one in the garden and it is growing quite well...
Think this one is called Burgundy Queen...
The flowers are about one centimeter across...
They are also called New Zealand tea tree...
Settlers apparently used the leaves as a subsititute for tea from China, hence the common name...
The Japanese called them 'gyo-ryu bai'... translated quite meaning-lessly as 'fish willow plum' tree...
They can grow up to 4 meters high...
And they tolerate poor soil, and dry weather like the one we have here...
There are the source for the well-known manuka honey, which we enjoy consuming...
Changing topic... these chrysanthemums are not from our potager...
My partner Y sometimes buy them as cut flowers from the local farmers' market...
They have been sitting in the flower pot since the last days of December...
And they still look very fresh...
What more, this yellow beauty has even rooted itself in the pot...
I plan to transfer it to the plot when the weather gets warmer...
Back to the snow story... this picture was taken this morning at about 7:00 am...
Was shivering in the cold, but could not miss the opportunity to shoot this scene...
The fava beans in the foreground are covered with snow...
So are the lettuce in the back...
Luckily by late afternoon, the snow melted and up popped the plants again... phew...