Because of the inverted seasons in the Southern Hemisphere, traveling New Zealand during December meant it was late spring to early summer. I was hoping that would mean the foliage would be in full display and it didn’t disappoint. Our first week we traveled on the South Island exploring Christchurch along the coast as well the amazing high country of the Southern Alps and the communities nestled there.

While Christchurch inhabits the rich farmland of the Canterbury Plain the smaller resort cities of Queenstown and Wanaka are perched on the edge of large alpine lakes. We stayed in Cardrona, a hamlet tucked high in the Crown Range between the two larger locales. In fact there weren’t many trees around Cardrona, the hillsides were draped in verdant green tussock grass. The vistas were grand with the valleys and peaks providing a world class backdrop everywhere we went. I compare it to Lake Tahoe, Glacier National Park and Switzerland combined.

While the scale of the snow capped mountains and the contrasting blue waters grabbed the scenic headlines, what captured our fancy were the flowers. The wild mountain lupine was simply breathtaking. With colors ranging from pale yellow to white through deep purple and blue, the bloom stalks were a full eighteen inches tall, two to three inches in diameter, and reached two to three feet high off the ground. The shoulders of roads, the banks of rivers and sheltered valleys were carpeted with them.

While we rocketed up the Shotover River in a jet boat I thought one of the passengers had opened up a perfume bottle. Then I realized source of the delicious smell was the lupine packed along the shoreline. It was so thick that we could smell them as we flew up the river at 60+ mph. Being fresh off the experience of diving in the Coral Sea, this colorful, botanic spread compared quite aptly to a floral reef waving in the breeze.

As they surrounded the house where we stayed we could enjoy them at a more leisurely pace too, soaking up their fantastic beauty. I would love to return and see the high country in winter but I would miss the wanton display of elegant color. Spring in the mountains is always a riot of flowering plants, racing to produce seed before the cold buries them in a few short months. But this spring, this spring in the middle of our winter was heaven sent.

It shouted to me of new life, of God’s amazing gift to us. It was a joyful declaration that life continues, even after being pressed and stressed in the icy grip of winter. The sun didn’t set until 9:45PM. I would sit outside and soak up the late night twilight, filling my lungs with the fresh, fragrant air and thank the Father for life, for my children and His gift of love.