It’s not all gloomy coming back from a holiday break. I have treats to enjoy.

And a Lord of the Rings t-shirt from Hobbiton to wear – beside my flowering cherry tree.

Yesterday there was a bellbird singing in one of the flowering kōwhai trees. It piped up just as my brother asked, “Do you get bellbirds in the kōwhai?”

This morning I booked a trip to Tasmania in October next year.

Back to plain clothes and porridge, Dad used to say at the end of a holiday. I don’t mind either of those things, but the break has made me realise how much work there is to do at home. This morning I had to remind myself how I clean the shower. There was laundry to do. Plant pots and containers were dry and needed urgent watering, with some plants quite distressed. The grass is long. I have to cook again, go to the supermarket, feed the cat – and Mum.

But the cherry blossom is out, the anemone bulbs I planted are flowering, the lettuces are ready to eat and so is the kale (although some has bolted). It seems all the plants, in just 12 days, have doubled in size.

And I have photos to look at, some of which I hadn’t included in my blogs. These three are from near Raglan.

On the bus tour I was intrigued by the numerous corrugated iron figures, such as the perched pukeko, as we drove through Tirau, and wall paintings at Trelinnoe Park. I sought out Wardini Books in Napier, having read the two crime fiction books the owners, Gareth and Louise Ward, have co-written and set in their second book shop in Havelock North – which I also saw as we drove through.

A book in the Napier hotel foyer celebrates twenty years (so far) of its farmers’ market.

I was delighted to see this huge art work in Hamilton which I had seen in a documentary about public art by Māori artists. Then I encountered a photograph and information about it in the Museum – much better than my photo taken from the bus.

Other snippets from Hamilton include a glass of wine I enjoyed at The Bank (with a bowl of seafood chowder), the statue of Dame Hilda Ross (so unusual to see a statue of a woman politician), and a colourful photo from the Hamilton Library. There was no natural light in the library, so I hope the alterations in progress at the front include huge windows facing out onto Garden Place.

I love this art work featuring Hamilton by local artist Kate Hill at the Waikato Society of Arts ArtsPost.

Finally, there are some more mundane shots: my hotel room desk where I wrote my journal and blog posts as my holiday drew to a close, the foyer of the hotel where I had breakfast each day and, at Hamilton airport, the ingenious airplane-shaped taps with both washing and drying functions.

So it’s plain clothes and porridge from now on, as Dad said, but I have the memories – and some delicious limes to enjoy from the Raglan garden of my ‘shuttle buddies’ who saved my holiday by sharing their shuttle ride from Auckland airport so that I made it to Hamilton on schedule when the direct flight from Christchurch to Hamilton was cancelled. The flight home was – despite some turbulence and the rather unnerving sight of propellers from my window (how do these aircraft fly?) – blessedly uneventful.

I have the morning for a last walk along the Waikato River. Local friends tell me that Hamilton is learning to look at the river, having built with its back to it.

Part of the path is blocked off, so I did a bit of off-roading and bush bashing before getting back on track.

A cold drink seemed like a good idea after that. I chose the café beside Browsers bookshop. Further along Victoria Street the Book Club Bar caught my eye.

At Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum and Gallery I took a closer look at representations of Waikato history.

There were school children exploring an early photo of Hamilton.

Next to the museum is the Waikato Society of Arts building which I had explored before. I took another look.

Next: taxi to the airport – with some trepidation after the cancellation of my flight getting here!

I took the riverside path to Hamilton Gardens this morning. My umbrella was in my backpack but wasn’t needed. Instead, sunglasses were more appropriate.

On the walk I managed to photograph a tūī. There were lots of them enjoying the kōwhai flowers. There were also fantails and some parakeets.

The path is wide and paved and well-signposted, used by friendly joggers and dog walkers.

You can tell you have arrived at the Gardens when the foliage becomes tidier and more flowery.

With the help of the audio commentary, I concentrated more on details in each of the enclosed gardens this time. There is impressive research and planning behind them.

Other treats:

The Ancient Egyptian Garden is astounding for meticulous details in the recreation of a sacred garden.

As I left to walk back along the river, I noticed again that in this part of the country double letters are used instead of macrons.

Next on my list of places to see in Hamilton was the Classics Museum – a car museum with a 1950s diner. The museum smells of oil and something else – old leather car interiors perhaps. The rain drummed on the roof.

Despite being crammed full of signs, hood ornaments, model cars in cabinets, petrol bowsers, old jukeboxes, and vehicles of all sorts, everything was clean and shiny and efficiently displayed. You had to slow down to take it all in.

There is a range of vehicles from the sleek and elegant to the cute and quirky.

Maybe this little car pulls up alongside the seat where you wait while your engine gets a tune up. Another seat is made from a car bench seat, while the coffee table top sits on an engine block.

I learnt that the first bowser was named after Mr Bowser.

The diner was a treat – as was my pancake stack.

Browsers in Victoria Street is the most wonderful place to browse, particularly on a rainy day. Every corner was a delight – so I took several pictures.

This must be the tallest bookshelf in the world. They don’t have a ladder to access the highest shelves!

Clearly, the operators of this shop have a strong sense of book aesthetics.

I was reluctant to leave, and explored the lane alongside.

In the Sip and Sew Workshop a woman was teaching sewing skills to a group of young girls – perhaps a school holiday activity.

As I waited for the ticket office to open, it was the heavens that opened first. Oh well, so I bought an umbrella! The rain eased to a light drizzle.

It took about three hours to see all 17 gardens. I was pleased that I opted for the informative audio commentary. The English Flower Garden was closed for renovation but you could look through a window – so that makes 18 gardens. A Medieval Garden is planned, as is a Baroque Garden and a Pacific Garden. Signs around the place told me that these gardens are a whole community effort.

There are a number of courtyards between the gardens.

Some gardens were grand, others more down to earth, so to speak.

There was some gorgeous spring colour.

The Te Parapara Garden showed how kūmara are grown in mounds.

I finished in the Tropical Garden which seemed perfectly suited to the rainy weather.

Back in the city centre, I walked along the riverside and discovered this gorgeousness.

This garden was the highlight today – the last day of the tour. Note there’s no apostrophe in the name. Perhaps that’s because both husband and wife garden here. Thirty years ago there were only bare paddocks. Melana Bradley said her mother-in-law took her to a garden centre to explain the difference between annuals and perennials.

It is the most formally organised of the gardens we’ve visited and it caters specifically for weddings.

There are some quirky elements.

The gardens are designed to accommodate weddings and other gatherings.

This horizontal punga trunk is supporting new life.

We were treated to carrot cake and tea in china cups.

In Te Kuiti there were spring flowers in the public loos, a statue of famous All Black Colin Meads in the main street and the railway station is now a restaurant where I had lunch.

Today we went over the Rimutakas to Aston Norwood Gardens to see the blossoms.

There were fairy houses for children to play with, and a cream tea for us.

We drove north along the transmission gully road and were entertained by the puns on bulls in Bulls.

We’re staying at the Powderhorn Hotel in Ohakune which looks as if a whole pine plantation was used in its construction.

Here’s the aftermath of our dinner at the Maple Leaf restaurant. Like the hotel, it’s all beams and rustic fireplaces.

Longbush Cottage Garden is delightful. Just ten years in the making so far, its owners returned from London, bought the bare paddock and derelict cottage and set to work.

There are chooks and a marvellous garden shed. Dotted about are places to sit, including a gorgeous glasshouse with a chandelier.

Greytown is full of delightful wooden cottages and boutique shops. The bookshop is divine as is the shop with beautifully displayed Pashley cycles – and locally made gin. An interesting combination!

It was a beautiful day; Wairarapa at its best.