Here are some views of our wetlands and native tree planting from a helicopter, showing some areas which are reasonably well developed, some under development with young native trees and shrubs and flaxes, and some areas yet to be planted. My concept is a garden comprising an inner garden near the house (the house is not shown on this blog), a middle garden and an outer garden. The pine trees were planted by a previous owner. When we acquired the land there were no trees other than the pines. The progress over 20 years has been very pleasing but it is a tough coastal environment. Various parts of the property now have four QE II National Trust covenants to protect it I hope forever. But we still have much to do.

Some of the wetlands and lakes now with intense early planting around them together with some stands of well developed pine trees planted by an earlier owner of this section of the property. 

Some of the wetlands surrounded by plantings of flax and cabbage trees and totara and carex and other natives. Notice the mown and wooden walkways and the wooden bridges joining the spaces.

The drive on to the property with a wide variety of native trees growing apace despite the tough coastal conditions.

This shows some of the early planting and the long curving entrance drive. Planting started about 1995.

An overview of some of the property with the lakes in the background and new planting areas in the foreground (these are just recently cleared areas) 

A large manuka and kanuka swamp with its own moat, fenced off to protect it from the cattle.

The entrance drive is heavily planted with native trees and shrubs and hebes. There are mown circles and walkways.

Some of the original planting commenced around 1995.