The season of garden city glory
There is a moment every year when a city truly shows itself and, with spring’s approach, I can feel that coming here.
It’s that point when Christchurch comes into its own, in all its garden city glory.
The parks that I and many other locals walk regularly are laden with daffodils, initially planted by civic custodians who envisaged the delight they would bring, and other signs are evident too.
People start meeting at the outside tables of their local cafés, no longer bundled up indoors wearing brightly coloured puffer jackets.
I can leave – and, for that matter, arrive – at our office in daylight, which lifts my spirits hugely.
It’s obvious that after a Canterbury winter we are all appreciative of warmer days and lighter evenings. But it’s not just our city that we inhabit differently; it’s also our homes and I find that in the business of real estate too.
Homes that had been inwardly focused through the winter months become more open and revealing.
The connection between the indoors and outdoor garden space takes on greater relevance. How the house is orientated to the sun is better able to be quantified and buyers have a greater sense of urgency.
I have always had an abiding interest in the effect our surroundings have on us, and travel can bring definite attunement to this. It gives you the chance to see how other locals make the most of their own city spaces and honour their culture.
Whether it’s groups of elderly men playing boules in the town square or women gathering over their washing baskets, as I saw in Morocco, everyone demonstrates their own sense of connection.
I think that’s exactly what we do here, especially in spring and even more so as we move into summer.
Ours is a city that shines: it’s now featuring in the media, doing heavy lifting for the rest of the country from an industry and value-for-money perspective.
Its benefits are on show and given everything we have travelled through, I’d say we can feel justifiably proud.
I know I am.