Douglas, if it is any consellation we are freezing ( for Auckland) too.
While we should get into 2 figure 11 deg.
I am sure Jaffas are searching the closets for those woolies that haven't been worn for years.
This weather means our power savings will go down the drain.

While the subtopical gardens everybody is in vouge with will suffer, those of us with the old roses and cottage will survive.
My poor orchids in bud will suffer as it has been so warm over the last few winters I haven't put them under shelter.
Just don't get the flu'.
This is the worst for 50 years or so they say.
I bet the shops will be full of people looking for ugg boots this morning.
The cold would be alright if we didn't have the rain and wind also.
Heather

Hey I'm a jafa & I only get cold at night down here. I found Auckland generally far colder in winter - all that damp cold air - ick! I'd still rather freeze a bit in winter than deal with the traffic in Auckland ;) I actually thought that extremes in temperature were a result of global warming. There's definitely something up. We get days that are as warm as it was in summer, followed by sudden blasts of ice & snow.

I too hope my garden survives. So far it's only boring brasicas & winter veges as we've only just moved here & are currently in the midst of getting shot of all the massive pines around the property. Once they've gone, the orchard is going in & the natives & the other stuff. I really would like to try a few sub tropicals as we have a few really sheltered warm areas in the garden. I also have a tunnel house that needs mending. Have you tried those frost cover things you can get for your less hardy plants. I'm not sure what they're called, but we used to get them in England. They're like a big sheet of light fabric.

In light of the events of the past couple of days, I shouldn't perhaps have tempted fate! The snow is only now finally thawing here in Chch. At least our island climate means that no weather extreme sticks around too long, I don't fancy the idea of permafrost at all.
You probably have the right strategy sticking to hardy plants Heather, but the temptation to push one's climate just a little is so strong. I do envy your mild weather. Here where we live in St Albans, the low water table gives us excellent rose growing conditions, it's just a shame I can't stand them.
My task every night is to trot around the garden covering all my proteas and other new plantings with frost cloth. I recite under my breath, "This is the last winter I'll have to do this" but haven't yet fully convinced myself. It's a chilly ten minutes I'd rather avoid, but as I said originally, Christchurch shouldn't be this cold (and for that matter, neither should the rest of the country). No fatalities yet though, (apart from a very sad looking ngaio).
Was frost cloth the protection you were referring to Liz, or do you mean some kind of mini greenhouse? You'd be surprised what you can get away with planting, even in Dunedin- a friend told me her father grew Strelitzias there some years ago.
At least global warming might eventually spell the end of ugg boots, which is alright by me.