Spring

A nest of tuatara eggs discovered at Wellington’s world-first wildlife reserve – the Karori Sanctuary – has conservation staff in a state of expectant excitement.

When it comes to gardens, New Zealand’s Taranaki region has more to show off than most as many public and private gardens ready for the 2009 Taranaki Rhododendron & Garden Festival.

On the crest of a bumper winter sports season, fresh snow falls and clear days are providing good conditions for skiers and snowboarders as New Zealand shifts into spring gear.

The cooler climes of Otago in New Zealand’s South Island are perfectly suited to growing rhododendrons and every year, when the blooms are at their best, the city of Dunedin celebrates with a special festival.

A traditional Japanese tea house and garden, designed and constructed in Japan, and then rebuilt in New Plymouth, New Zealand, is to become a major feature of the 2009 Taranaki Rhododendron & Garden Festival.

Billed as the country’s biggest spring festival, New Zealand Cup and Show week takes the prize for diversity with a programme featuring everything from rural life, racing and rodeo to fashion, theatre and dancing.

Taranaki, known as the garden of New Zealand, will honour its long standing reputation when the region’s annual Rhododendron and Garden Festival opens in October.

It is business as usual for tourist operators in Christchurch & Canterbury as the region bounces back from a 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

Snow sport enthusiasts are taking to the Canterbury hills to make the most of spring snows and escape the rumblings following the recent earthquake.

The state of emergency has been lifted in New Zealand’s Canterbury region and life is returning to normal two weeks on from the serious earthquake on 4 September.