Dennistoun Bush in the Drizzle

There's nothing like a walk in the forest on a wet day; the greens come alive and the rich earthy smell is both warm and welcoming. Dennistoun Bush, just opposite our house here, is a wonderful thing to have quite literally on your doorstep; its variety of trees, ferns and mosses echo with the songs of bellbirds, fantails, tomtits and warblers.

I shot this about halfway round the loop track, close to the large ancient totara which you can see here. This impressive kahikatea may not be as old, nor as gnarly as that tree, but its root snake their way across the forest floor, covered with rich green, supporting this podocarp as it reaches for the sky.