Discover Aotearoa New Zealand’s most distinctive gardens, ranging from traditional to innovative garden design.
It’s a funny little fact but gardening is one of New Zealand’s favourite pastimes. As a country of microclimates, ranging from subtropical to subalpine, gardeners in the north tend very different gardens from those in the south. Here are some of the country’s most notable gardens, recommended by the New Zealand Gardens Trust(opens in new window) for their exceptional presentation, design, and planting interest. These gardens, a mix of public and private, are usually open year-round and many offer free entry.
Ayrlies, one of New Zealand’s best-known country gardens, is characterised by sweeping lawns and informal yet carefully designed plant beds bordering waterways and wetlands. This is a garden for every season, where the owner strives to have some plants at their best for every week of the year.
Hamilton Gardens explores the relationship between people and plants in five themed garden collections. Here, you'll find gardens inspired by places as diverse as India, Italy, and China, along with a fragrant herb garden and a traditional Māori garden.
Taranaki, a region known for its fertile soils and diverse geography, is becoming a strong contender for the title of New Zealand’s garden capital. A standout garden is Te Kainga Marire(opens in new window), a predominantly native garden that attracts more than its share of both birdlife and visitors. This garden showcases the gamut of native flora, including grasses, climbers, ferns, shrubs, and trees, all thoughtfully arranged to create a natural yet orderly atmosphere.
Flaxmere Garden(opens in new window), a large country garden near the Southern Alps, is a strongly designed garden that is completely in tune with the surrounding terraced riverbed. Flaxmere evolves with the seasons, but it is wonderful at any time of year.
Larnach Castle’s historic gardens are far from typical. While the grounds feature historic architecture and grand views, it is the diverse tastes of the castle’s owners that have given the gardens their unique character. Some original plantings, dating back more than 150 years to the time of the castle’s construction, remain a prominent feature. However, the newer sections of the garden, reflecting the current owner’s passion for native New Zealand plants, have earned this award-winning garden a position among New Zealand’s finest gardens.
New Zealand's oldest botanic garden, established in 1863, proves that some things get better with age. This sprawling 33-hectare garden is home to almost 7,000 plant species and plays an important role in cultivating rare and endangered native plant species.
New Zealand’s gardens are beautiful at any time of year but here is a list of seasonal highlights.
Spring flowers steal the show this season. Be sure to visit Greenhaugh Gardens(opens in new window) for its stunning display of bulbs and roses. And don’t miss Mincher, a large country garden, where the Rhododendron Walk and Laburnum Arch light up at this time of year.
At Hamilton Gardens, the Victorian Flower Garden puts on a magnificent array of colourful blooms, and the Rhododendron Lawn, a garden devoted to Rhododendrons, peaks in September and October. Insider tip: their perfume is best in the early evening.
To pick as many daffodils as you want (or need), visit Taniwha Daffodils(opens in new window) in Hawke’s Bay.
Summer is great for flowers but also for garden parties. Most public and private gardens put on a vibrant calendar of events throughout summer. A highlight of most gardener’s social calendar is a high tea at Larnach Castle and the Festival of Lights at Pukekura Park(opens in new window) in New Plymouth.
Te Parapara Garden at Hamilton Gardens is traditional Māori garden that peaks in summer. Cultivated using traditional techniques, Te Parapara showcases the skills required to grow tropical crops, such as kūmara, in a colder climate.
When it comes to autumn, New Zealand’s gardens look a little different from their northern hemisphere counterparts. Most of New Zealand’s native trees are evergreens, so they don’t lose their leaves or change colour. But if autumn colours take your fancy, Tūpare(opens in new window) is particularly stunning at this time of year, with its rich display of deciduous trees, including dove trees, tulip trees and liquidambars. The late flowering perennials at Ōhinetahi(opens in new window) are also wonderful in autumn.
Botanic gardens are great options for this time of year because they often feature indoor and winter displays. Ōhinetahi Garden in Canterbury, known for its formal design and sculpture, remains striking in winter with its evergreen plant bed and winter-flowering plants. Also, the native botanic garden at Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush (opens in new window)is a fantastic winter destination, showcasing New Zealand’s evergreen native plants. This unique sanctuary boasts the country’s foremost collection of native flora, including many rare and endangered species. It also features a tract of the original forest, where you can admire ancient rata, kowhai, rimu, and tawa.
