Taranaki Garden Festival

Friday 31 October

Depart Auckland on Air New Zealand, arriving early afternoon for a five night stay. This afternoon we have a ‘Behind the Scenes at Juno Gin’. Enjoy a welcome cocktail and behind-the-scenes look at how gin is made, the key botanicals, and glorious tastings of a range of their gins. Welcome dinner at the hotel.

Saturday 01 November

Carinhill  After breakfast, head to June and Colin Lees garden . A range of different edging plants give definition to borders, many of which are filled with amazing iris varieties, peonies and special plantings. A new ‘berry house’ with five different berries and two currants has been added, alongside four raised garden beds.  The Jane Downes ‘BeeHaven’ sculpture is a wonderful artistic addition.  

This afternoon we inlcude; 

Hollards This horticultural oasis of colour in the heart of fertile dairy country boasts an incredibly diverse plant collection of national importance, featuring many rhododendrons, azaleas and an extensive range of native and exotic plants. 

Te Henui Cemetery An inner city treasure. Along with the beautiful garden, hear history behind the gravestones.

Pukekura Park Taranaki’s premier botanical garden. Bush walks, rhododendrons and azaleas merge into more formal gardens. 

Return to the hotel for dinner this evening. 

Sunday 02 November

Hurworth Garden This graceful country garden packed with flourishing beds, borders and mass plantings has been developed around a 1910 villa on a 1ha property. 

Pukeiti Gardens The Pinnacle of rhododendron collections. Collected over seven decades with a backdrop of lush native forest, this is a sight to be seen.

Goodin Country Garden Set amidst old coastal lahars, large volcanic rocks lend drama to this country garden

Return to the hotel for dinner this evening. 

Monday 03 November

Saxon Sanctuary holds an extensive array of evergreen and deciduous, native and exotics along with rare and unique plants. Vast colour is provided by rhododendrons, azaleas, astilbes and irises. Hostas flourish at the pond alongside burgundy and red maples.   

Kahikatea Gardens By November the garden is a riot of colour with the roses making an appearance. Summer means hydrangeas, dahlias and lilies become a feature and by early autumn it is time for the sages. All this against a backdrop of ancient native totara and titoki trees and the very special 900 year old kahikatea which the gardens are named after. 

Nice Garden Lush palms and tropical foliage surrounds the deck. An outside fire is also there in case of a cooler day, lunch included.

Riverlea This garden has engaged an array of ideas, including a perennial border, woodland garden and maple walk. The boardwalk to the river leads to secluded seating surrounded by rimu, kauri, nikau and other natives

Tupare Established by the Matthews family in the 1930s, Tūpare’s central feature is a majestic house in the Arts and Crafts architectural style, based on a design by the renowned James Chapman-Taylor.

Return to the hotel for dinner this evening. 

Tuesday 04 November

Sanderson Garden Many sculptures and ornaments feature in this garden and there are many spaces to wander through and soak up the wonderful views. Mixed shrubs and herbaceous plantings with roses are found through the entire garden.

Tairoa Lodge (lunch included) History and beauty combine to create the ever-graceful Tairoa Lodge. Surrounded by sweeping lawns, towering kauri and pohutukawa.

Oakley Festival stalwart and trained horticulturist Jenny Oakley has had her garden open for the full 38 years. Just 2km from the exposed coastline, her towering shelter-belt hedges are an important characteristic for the thriving garden. Features include brick walls and pillars, cottage style plantings, early flowering roses, a vegetable potager and the remarkable hanging baskets for which she is renowned.

Gravetye Gravetye is a formal garden that celebrates the simplicity of mass green planting. Wander along the mixed border, pass the sunken vegetable garden, the reflection pool, the pleached limes & the laburnum arch, which all radiate from the house.

Dinner included at the hotel.

Wednesday 05 November

Waiongana Gardens A mostly flat garden with varied spaces, a sunken garden, rose garden, Redwoods and a developing produce area.

This afternoon we fly home after a wonderful five day stay in Taranaki.