Barns on the Far Side

While I was in Taranaki, one day my daughter kindly offered me her car to go adventuring.  I'd told her I wanted to go to the other side of Mt Taranaki, to the coast side, to Stent Road to visit a garden I'd read about.  

Stent Road beach is one of New Zealand's top surfing spots, so I thought I might also get some nice beach photos.  I'd heard it can get really crowded.   The crowds were definitely missing mid week in November and I found the beach a big disappointment.  Admittedly the tide was out but I couldn't imagine the walk from the surf to the land over those rocks.

The best part was the driftwood.  Maybe there's something I don't know.

My luck was out when it came to the garden, too.  I should have made more enquiries and made a phone call before trekking out to the end of Stent Road.  

I know the garden would not have disappointed.  It's right beside the beach, extremely exposed to the west coast weather.  The road appears to go right through the property as the sea front opposite the house is also grassed and gardened by the owners.  How they maintain such a lush garden on that wild and windy salt laden site is beyond me.

Looking at my photos now I think I should have knocked louder or wandered around and called out before deciding no-one was home.  Now I notice there is a window open.  

Of course, I stopped often that day to take photos of the mountain and sheds.  It's a bonus for me when I can get both in the same photo.

 I found this one quite attractive with its multi coloured patches.

I had a lovely day, wandering up side roads when the mood took me and taking a long way home around the southern side of the mountain, a happy accident as I thought it was going to be a shorter route.

Linking to the Barn Collective.