New Zealand Wool Rugs

New Zealand Wool Rugs

New Zealand Wool Rugs

By Damian Sofsian
Wool is renewable and biodegradable and thus New Zealand wool rugs are an environmentally friendly décor choice. New Zealand wool is renowned to be the purest and whitest wool in the world.

Sheep from which New Zealand wool is sourced are raised on land unsuitable for food-crop cultivation or other agricultural purposes. No banned pesticides are used on New Zealand sheep-farms thus making this industry one of the world's most environment-friendly animal production industries. New Zealand wool rugs are produced in an eco-friendly manner so that the delicate and vital balance in nature is not upset.

New Zealand wool rugs come in varying sizes and myriad patterns. They are plush, soft and luxurious. As New Zealand wool lends itself well to dyeing, New Zealand wool rugs have long lasting colors. They are available in both traditional and contemporary designs. A bright white base which plays up all colors is used to create all kinds of vibrant and stylish New Zealand wool rugs. Good quality rugs use color fast and stain resistant yarns.

New Zealand wool rugs can be either hand-tufted or machine woven. Their quality, thickness and density also differ due to this factor. Typically, handmade rugs are thicker and denser than machine woven ones. If properly maintained, wool rugs can last for 6 to 10 years depending upon the quality of the rugs.

Sheepskin rugs are a by product of the New Zealand wool rug industry and are among the most popular rugs. They are lavish and grand and compliment home furnishings. The length of the rugs can vary from 75cm to around 250cm and the minimum width required ranges from 50cm onwards. Sheepskin rugs can cost anything from $100 upwards depending on size, method of manufacture and other such factors.

New Zealand wool rugs can also be custom made. Several companies allow you to choose from different center designs, border designs, shape options, patterns, pile and colors. Some companies also let you create your own design to match the décor and feel of your home. [http://www.i-woolrugs.com]Wool Rugs provides detailed information on Braided Wool Rugs, Contemporary Wool Rugs, Discount Wool Rugs, Hand Tufted Wool Rugs and more. Wool Rugs is affiliated with [http://www.i-AreaRugs.com]Cheap Area Rugs.

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Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson

Waterfalls in Mordor?

By Johnny Cheng
Many people around the world familiar with the Peter Jackson rendition of the Lord of the Rings movies are well aware that much of the forbidding land of Mordor that was not created by computer was filmed in parts of Tongariro National Park. It's a fitting location considering the volcanic nature of the park and the rugged, rocky terrain that embodies the fiery wasteland appropriate for a land filled with orcs, giant spiders, and demons. But in reality, Tongariro National Park is far more diverse and scenic than its portrayal in the Lord of the Rings movies. Besides conical volcanoes, old lava flows, and jagged rocks, you'll also find colorful pools, hot springs, tussock plains, and even waterfalls! Given the relatively high rainfall that New Zealand gets and the ability of the Tongariro volcanoes to capture much of this moisture as both snow and rain, much of this water drains through gullies, springs, and gorges on their way towards their Central Plateau base. Through some walks in the area, you can witness many of the major waterfalls as well as some smaller nameless ones.

Perhaps the most dramatic waterfalls found in Tongariro National Park are on the south-facing slopes of the still-active Mt Ruapehu. After ascending parts of the Ohakune Mountain Road, you can access both Mangawhero Falls (which made an appearance in the Lord of the Rings movie as the Henneth Annun's Forbidden Pool) as well as the track for Waitonga Falls - the tallest waterfall in the National Park. On the west-facing slopes towards Ruapehu's foothills, you can see both Taranaki Falls and Tawhai Falls. Taranaki Falls, near the junction of the Tongariro Northern Circuit Track and connecting tracks leading back to Whakapapa Village, gushes through a narrow opening of an old lava flow before crashing 20m at its boulder-ringed base. Tawhai Falls occurs where the Whakapapanui Stream makes a 10m plunge into a deep pool. Finally, the world-famous Tongariro Crossing Track holds additional waterfall surprises complementing the colorful, forbidding, yet otherworldly moonscape scenery. Such surprises include Soda Springs, where mineral-laced water percolates out from the porous volcanic rock nourishing the neighboring vegetation. Meanwhile, on the north-facing slopes of the park, the track leaves the moonscape and tussock grasslands and enters a lush rainforest, where a pleasant unnamed waterfall greets trampers before the end of the trail.

Indeed, the waterfalls found in Tongariro National Park reinforce the scenic diversity you're rewarded with upon a visit to New Zealand. With its mix of volcanic moonscapes, tussock plains, rainforests, and waterfalls, it's no wonder why visitors to this part of the country remember it so fondly. And like an actress that can play many different roles movies to attract an audience, New Zealand's Tongariro National Park does the same - both on and off the silver screen.

Johnny T. Cheng is author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls (Story Nature Press).

Find out more about his book at http://www.storynature.com or visit his waterfalls blog at http://www.world-of-waterfalls.com.

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