A “veranda” is a roofed platform along the outside of the ground-level of a home, like a porch. Typically, a veranda is only partially enclosed, often with a latticed roof. Latticed verandas are still quite popular today, and they continue to feature prominently in the Victorian-style architecture of New Zealand (where this short-story is set) among other places.
A karaka tree is a type of evergreen indigenous to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Its dark green, leathery leaves have a leafy canopy quality and a stout trunk. The tree is known mostly for its bright-yellow fruit which ripens in the summer and autumn. The fruit contains one seed which is extremely poisonous when eaten raw. Victims of the karakin poison convulse so badly that they can become physically disabled or paralyzed.
"passion-fruit ices..."See in text(The Garden Party)
Passion fruit is an edible fruit of the passion flower, which is grown in tropical locations around the world. In addition to the use of “squiz” earlier, the presence of passion fruit further suggests that the story is set in New Zealand.
