I am no botanical expert, but I love these flowers you spot mostly in the east of Christchurch and in Akaroa. I found out their name is Echium.

Will Harvie of The Press mentioned them in What’s behind the containers at Peacocks Gallop, Christchurch.

There is a lovely crop of them right beside my old workplace in Linwood (well. Woolston if you take the postcode finder’s word). Through the year I’d watch them bloom and fade. I had a meeting there on Monday. Said Kia ora to the Echium.