BREATHING space
My idea of the perfect summer break would be a 10-day tour of the North Island, followed by a 10-day tour of the South Island, visiting carefully selected open gardens. In a limo, of course.
With the help of the excellent website gardenstovisit.co.nz, which has photos and info on scores of public and private gardens to visit, I’m in the process of making my list.
So far, these ones are on it.
More to come, of course. DUNEDIN BOTANIC GARDEN I have the best memories of the Dunedin Botanic Gardens. Back in the day, my flat was on one side and the local pub was on the other, so I was very familiar with its paths, if not its plants.
As a grown-up, though, I am now familiar with its plants as well, and it’s one of my favourite public garden spaces. I love the upper slopes where there’s an informal vibe with pockets of regenerating bush, a woodland garden with large groups of meconopsis, primula, astilbe, hosta and iris, and best of all, an extensive collection of rhododendrons containing about 3500 specimens. It’s truly fabulous!
Set aside at least a couple of hours to explore, relax, learn and, of course, enjoy a coffee in the on-site café. dunedinbotanicgarden.co.nz LAVENDYL LAVENDER FARM If your senses need a bit of rejuvenating after Christmas, Lavendyl is the place to be.
This beautiful garden in Kaikoura grows more than 50 varieties of lavender, as well as many native New Zealand plants. And now’s the time to visit because the flowers are hitting their peak oil production for the next few weeks and you can watch the distilling process.
The garden areas are quite beautifully designed and, as well as walking through the lavender, you can meditate in the Circle of Thyme, picnic, hand-feed the pet sheep, enjoy views of the Kaikoura Peninsula, watch spinning, weaving and felting demonstrations, play petanque, recharge in the tearooms and indulge yourself amongst the lavender products. lavenderfarm.co.nz
UPTON OAKS
Bucketloads of passion led Dave and Sue Monahan to develop the gardens at
Upton Oaks on a 1.5-acre site just out of Blenheim.
Sue’s vision was to create a romantic, intimate garden with formal lines and structures that would complement the 1911 villa. The house is now enclosed by trim lawns and borders of shrubs, including roses and perennials, and is separated from the large 17th-century-
style knot garden by sharply trimmed hedges.
Other features are colourthemed box-hedged beds filled with flowers, an olive grove, a productive garden, an ancient walnut tree, espaliered fruit trees on brick walls and a restored 1850s cottage looking out across a bricked patio to a French-style gazebo on a semi-circular lawn.
It’s truly hard to believe neither Dave or Sue have formal training in garden design. uptonoaks.co.nz
WOODEND GARDENS
AND VINEYARD
This beautiful property, five minutes north of Blenheim, was first developed by Colin and Eldred Boyce, who began the transformation of their bare paddocks more than 100 years ago. Now, Brian and Margaret Herd are the proud owners of the seven-acre garden and 10-acre vineyard.
The approach is through a formal gateway and along a curved driveway lined with blue agapanthus. The garden has different zones and hidden sanctuaries. A 40-metre high eucalyptus occupies the south-west corner, and there are also liquidambar, dogwoods, flowering chestnuts, magnolias and gleditsias on the property.
A wisteria-covered
pergola leads to a paved timber pavilion which provides perfect shelter for guests, while the formal wedding venue is a large lawn with mature cherry blossom trees forming an aisle that leads to a fountain.
In summer, the rose beds bloom along with hydrangeas and heuchera. woodendgardensgrovetown.co.nz
PHOTINIA GARDENS Endless hours of work over many years with no set plans isn’t always gratifying, but for Luzvie and Neville Sinclair, the reward has been a unique garden in a beautiful setting.
It has taken many years to transform this East-Auckland landscape from trees and grass to a vibrant garden that engulfs the house. Bromeliads are the stars of the show, supported by succulents, air-plants and numerous flowering plants sharing space with pots and garden ornaments.
The partnership has been a perfect mix of Luzvie’s greenfingers and Neville’s building skills, and both now favour admiring the garden from the conservatory or sitting under the pagoda. gardenstovisit.co.nz
POST CHRISTMAS, GET BACK TO NATURE IN THESE OPEN GARDENS