Events

Search Features

Keywords:

New Zealand garden festivals 2012/2013

Throughout New Zealand there are many internationally and nationally significant gardens with vast collections of local flora - often in natural surroundings - and exotic species.

Most New Zealand towns have large public gardens, and many privately-owned estates are open for visits. There is also a year-round calendar of world-class international, national and regional garden festival events.

November 2012

New Zealand Garden & Artfest - Bay of Plenty
1 - 11 November, 2012 (2014 dates TBA)
More than 80 Bay of Plenty gardens are open for the week-long New Zealand Garden & Artfest. The gardens provide a unique backdrop for a huge display of local artists in venues from small urban courtyards to rambling country estates. The biennial festival also features a two-day village fair.
New Zealand Garden & Artfest

February 2013

Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival 2013 - Hamilton
17 February - 1 March, 2013
Hamilton Gardens covers an area of 58 hectares and is the most popular visitor attraction in the Waikato region with about 600,000 visitors each year. The arts festival - 65 performances and 200 events - is a celebration of all visual arts, music, comedy, theatre, film, literature and food and wine, set in stunning themed gardens.
Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival

Burst! Festival of Flowers 2013 - Christchurch
16 February - 3 March, 2013
Internationally renowned as New Zealand’s 'Garden City', Christchurch celebrates its floral heritage at the Festival of Flowers. The 2013 theme is ‘The Garden City Gorgeous’ which will inspire citywide events. Highlights will include everything from floral port-a-loos, pop-up floral art and installations, to topiary, water sculptures, and events like a floral tea party and a garden party. It is centred around the fabulous Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
Festival of Flowers

Heroic Gardens Festival - Auckland
23 - 24 February, 2013
Heroic Gardens Festival is a regional event, showcasing the work of gay and lesbian gardeners. The event features 20-plus gardens from small city creations to large country estates. Funds raised help support Auckland’s eight hospices. Many gardens have featured in magazines and on television, and most of the garden owners will be present to talk about their gardens.
Heroic Gardens Festival

March 2013

Ellerslie International Flower Show - Christchurch
6 - 10 March, 2013
Christchurch - the Garden City hosts the annual Ellerslie International Flower Show which is New Zealand’s biggest flower and garden festival. Previously held in Auckland, this iconic event showcases modern New Zealand landscape design and horticulture on a grand scale.
Ellerslie International Flower Show

May 2013

Manawatu Garden & Lifestyle Festival - Feilding
4 - 5 May, 2013
The annual Manawatu Garden Festival - which celebrates the region's gardening heritage - is expanding to add a lifestyle dimension bringing in wine, food and hospitality, and a lineup of speakers. This event takes place at the Manfeild Stadium in the rural town of Feilding famed for its local rhododendron gardens.
Manawatu Garden & Lifestyle Festival

September 2013

Spring Festival - Wellington
TBA: September - October, 2013
The annual Spring Festival - the opportunity to experience Wellington's Botanic Garden and Otari-Wilton's Bush at their most vibrant - includes more than 40 events and activities. The festival starts in a blaze of colour with Tulip Sunday and features workshops, concerts, guided walks, demonstrations, amazing floral displays, entertainment and more.
Wellington Botanic Garden Events

November 2013

Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular - New Plymouth
1 - 10 November, 2013
One of New Zealand's longest-running garden festivals, the 10-day Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular (formerly Taranaki Rhododendron and Garden Festival) showcases some of New Zealand's most stunning private and public gardens. Visitors can enjoy strolling through large country parks, intimate inner city potagers, sub-tropical and rainforest gardens. The events programme includes jazz and wine in gardens, a landscape design project, guided walks, and garden celebrity speakers.
Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular

Nelmac Garden Marlborough - Blenheim
6 - 11 November, 2013
Nelmac Garden Marlborough is set in a region renowned internationally for its sauvignon blanc wines. This five-day festival showcases some of the best gardens in the region, with tours from the plains to the secluded inlets of the Marlborough Sounds. The festival includes an annual art auction, workshops, a garden fete and degustation dinner in a vineyard setting.
Nelmac Garden Marlborough

Gisborne Garden & Arts Festival 2013 - Gisborne
9 - 10 November, 2013
Discover Gisborne during an inspiring weekend festival of working artists, live music and stunning gardens. Gisborne's backyard offers everyday inspiration in 35 gardens and the works of more than 30 local artists.
Gisborne Garden & Arts Festival

Sculpture in the Gardens - Auckland
9 November, 2013 - 18 February, 2014
Sculpture in the Gardens is a four-month outdoor exhibition of 21 large-scale sculptures by New Zealand’s best known, most talented and up-and-coming artists. The 2km trail winds through the garden collections at the beautiful Auckland Botanic Gardens, only 20 minutes from downtown Auckland.
Sculpture in the Gardens

Timaru Festival of Roses - Timaru
TBA: November, 2013
Timaru's annual Festival of the Roses will be a feast of colour, entertainment, inspiration and celebration of one of nature's most celebrated beautiful blooms. Highlights include the self-drive tour of spectacular local gardens showcasing lush and covetable roses.
Timaru Festival of Roses

Pohutukawa Festival - Coromandel Peninsula
TBA: November - December, 2013
The Pohutukawa Festival is a celebration of New Zealand's native Christmas tree, with art exhibitions, open gardens, concerts and a café crawl through this picturesque coastal region. The highlight is the Whangamata Jazz Festival, featuring top Kiwi entertainers and garden tours.
Pohutukawa Festival

Great Barrier Island Garden Tour - Great Barrier Island
30 November, 2013
The Great Barrier Island Garden Tour is a unique opportunity to visit rural residential gardens on Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf. The guided tour takes in charming cottage gardens, spectacular coastal panoramas, native flora and birdlife, along with a Devonshire afternoon tea.
Great Barrier Island Garden Tour

More information

New Zealand gardens of significance

New Zealand events highlights