Whanganui’s world of wonder

There’s a magical Garden of Eden in the central North Island where death and heaven, the tropics and the Arctic all collide – in the best best possible way, writes Brook Sabin.

Tucked away in Whanganui’s rolling hills, you will meet god. No, not the one upstairs – this is the Garden of Death (known as GOD). It’s part of an extensive secret garden, which has to be one of the North Island’s best hidden gems.

We’re at Paloma Gardens, a 30-minute drive from central Whanganui. To continue the biblical theme, this place is like a Garden of Eden. It’s so impressive, the property has been named a Garden of National Significance.

This colourful wonderland is the passion project of Nicki and Clive Higgie, who have spent more than 30 years sculpting their large property, which looks like it’s straight out of a gardening magazine.

With the borders closed due to Covid-19, this garden does something pretty remarkable: it takes you around the world without leaving New Zealand.

You will find plantings from the deserts of

Africa to the jungles of Asia, and even from the Arctic Circle.

The property is split into 10 regions, each with a theme (such as the Garden of Death). The Palm Garden is a wonderland of bamboo, ferns and, yes, palms. There are more than 130 species of palms growing around the property, and many can be found in this garden.

The Norton Arboretum has trees from the Arctic Circle to the tropics, with a kilometrelong loop walk to admire it all, where you’ll come across oaks, maples and magnolias.

The Garden of Death features plants of a toxic nature, including a not-so-subtle commentary on some of our social habits, with the inclusion of tequila agave, hops and sugarcane. There’s also the Dracunculus vulgaris, which smells of rotting meat.

There is a desert house dedicated to cacti, an enchanting bamboo boardwalk, and an extensive Mediterranean garden known as Le Jardin Exotique de Paloma.

The grand Wedding Lawn is the perfect place to unwind with a picnic lunch, lined with Washingtonia palms, which give it an almost royal feel. Make sure your phone is charged because this place is made for social media.

One of the many surprising aspects of the garden is that it looks sensational all year round. In winter, many of the plants from southern Africa flower, meaning a kaleidoscope of colours is always on show. That keeps the birdlife active all through winter, too.

It’s hard to pick a favourite garden, but what’s certain is you will need to allow yourself several hours to explore.

The writer’s trip was supported by Whanganui and Partners. This story was produced as a part of an editorial partnership with Tourism New Zealand.