These are all New Zealand natives, including the beautiful red ngutukākā/kakabeak (Clianthus puniceus), which is at serious risk of extinction in the wild (but collected from my kind neighbour’s garden plants here). Other species in the picture: mamaku tree fern (Cyathea medullaris), taupata (Coprosma repens) leaves, purple poroporo (Solanum laciniatum) flowers, and black kōhūhū (Pittosporum tenuifolium) flowers.

This was my original plan – I was going to fill in the whole background using the dramatic, blackish colour of kohuhu flowers. But…it took too long and nearly destroyed my soul, so I started again, using taupata leaves to make the background.