Yesterday was the first day of spring. The sun was shining and I couldn’t resist the allure of one of my favourite places in New Zealand…

… the Hamilton Gardens. Armed with my camera, I dove through the Father’s Day crowd to the Italian Renaissance Garden.

Tim and I will be saying our wedding vows in the Italian Garden next year. I hope the weather’s just as nice!

See the swallows perched on top of that statue? They’re probably nesting in the Japanese Garden again.

As usual, the Indian Garden was bursting with colour…

… and the Chinese Garden was perfectly peaceful.

Many visitors miss this little statue, tucked away inside a little cave at the edge of the pond.