You've always thought a visit to New Zealand would be interesting. Did you know that world-class gardens set in this country's dramatic landscape wait to be shown off by their proud owners?
In the footsteps of famous plant collectors, our visits to dramatic landscapes and beautiful gardens in New Zealand in springtime combined to make this journey a memorable experience. New Zealand has given the world many of its most widely used garden plants. As we proceeded, we saw many of these and less familiar native plants in delightful private gardens, botanic gardens and national reserves. We attended a Hangi dinner and concert and learned about the Maori culture and New Zealand wildlife. You will love New Zealand. This was a trip we could not have missed. Here was our itinerary:
Wednesday 21 November
You arrive in New Zealand at Auckland 'City of Sails' airport and transfer to the Quality Hotel Rose Park where we are based for 5 nights.
In the morning, relax and visit the nearby shops. In the afternoon our driver will take us on a sightseeing drive, from the city, beneath budding pohutukawas (known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree metrosideros excelsa ), along the Tamaki Drive waterfront facing the extinct Rangitoto volcano. We return through Auckland Domain and visit the Wintergardens, housing tropical plants and ferns in its glass conservatory. We join for a welcome evening drink in the hotel before sitting down together for dinner.
Thursday 22 November
We go this morning to the well known Ellerslie Flower Show in Auckland's Botanic Gardens at Manurewa. This is New Zealand's largest Flower Show and the country's premier floral event of the year. You will see designer gardens, floral arrangements, and garden accessories with the interesting flavour of the Southern Hemisphere. You may have lunch at the show. Then we proceed to Ayrlies, in Whitford to the east of Auckland, for a tour of this beautiful private country garden of ten acres designed and sculpted in 1964 from a bare paddock by Beverley McConnell and her late husband. A woodland of maples graces large ponds edged in hostas, irises and other damp loving plants. There are collections of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias.
We have dinner at the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, followed by an evening ferry voyage back through the Rangitoto Channel to central Auckland.
Friday 23 November
We drive north from Auckland on a day trip through the rural countryside of Northland to Belleview, Vivienne Papich's private garden. Vivienne has planted her unique garden at Langs Beach with colour and originality. Every turning brings another delightful set-piece composition. Laid out on a hillside on various levels it faces spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. Native trees line the driveway over naturalised ferns, cymbidium orchids and bromeliads.
We will stop for tea at the pretty town of Warkworth on our return journey and your dinner will be served in our hotel.
Saturday 24 November
We start today at Westridge, the garden of Richard Cadness and garden designer Geoffrey Haughey in Titirangi. This is lovely garden with a distinctive New Zealand flavour nestles amongst nikau palms, ferns and native trees in the Waitakere Ranges Scenic Park of forested hills on the outskirts of Auckland city. Native birdsong enhances the sub-tropical background.
On our way we take a look at the Muriwai Beach gannet colony, then we continue our discovery of the native environment with a visit to the Arataki Visitor Centre and Scenic Drive Lookout where you can gain an insight of Maori culture. We will visit a massive and ancient kauri (Agathis australis) tree on Scenic Drive and see flowering manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) and kanuka (Leptospermum ericoides) from which bees make such delicious honey.
In the afternoon we go to Peter Brady's delightful suburban private garden around a house of Art Deco style at Mount Eden. Foliage with texture or pattern makes a dramatic statement with year-round interest. Palms and ferns give tranquility while combinations of slender and broad foliage add elegance and make flowers seem unnecessary.
We return to the hotel for dinner.
Sunday 25 November
Today we travel to Rotorua, at the heart of the country's volcanic plateau. On the way, we take a look at Hamilton Botanical Gardens and stop for lunch beside Lake Karapiro, then we visit Tikitere Rhododendron Park. with a wonderful display of rhododendron, azaleas, camellias and magnolias with birch, cherry and maples making a canopy overhead. The garden is divided by a stream with bridges of local stone. Spring colour in this attractive garden is provided by irises, peonies, hostas and day lilies.
We proceed to the Lake Plaza Hotel for two nights, with dinner in the hotel.
Monday 26 November
Today we will see sheep shearing demonstrated at the Agrodome and visit trout pools and park at Rainbow Springs, home to a range of native wildlife. Rotorua is internationally famous for its boiling mud pools and geysers. We will learn more about Maori culture as we visit the Maori village of Whakarawera and attend the maori concert and hangi dinner here. You will enjoy potatoes, kumara (sweet potato) vegetables and a wide selection of meats such as pork and chicken all cooked in the traditional manor using the steam from the local activity. Following dinner you will be entertained with traditional song and dance before returning to our hotel.
Tuesday 27 November
In the morning we visit Rhodohill, a spring garden where the soft colouring of 800 rhododendrons is complemented by over 300 camellias and hostas.
In the afternoon we visit the spectacular Huka Falls, then on to the Lakeland of Taupo Hotel, with dinner in the hotel.
Wednesday 28 November
Today we journey to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. Skirting Lake Taupo we travel through the Tongariro National Park, passing three of New Zealand's volcanoes the most active of which, Mount Ruapehu, last erupted in 1995. In the Park we will be surrounded by New Zealand flax (phormium tenax), Toetoe (Cortaderia toetoe) and other native plants in their natural surroundings.
We shall stop at Flat Hills for morning tea and Southward Car Museum for lunch.
We arrive in the evening for two nights at the Bay Plaza Hotel, Wellington.
Thursday 29 November
This is a free day for shopping or following your own interests in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. You can visit the superb new Te Papa (Our Place) Museum of New Zealand. You could also see Old St Pauls and the Parliament Buildings on a city tour.
Friday 30 November
Today we visit the Otari-Wilton's Bush Native Botanic Garden which has a wonderful collection of native flora from all over New Zealand, landscaped into an existing piece of native 'bushland'. The gardens feature ferns, grasses and sedge, rock, alpine, flax and hebe species. Names and origin of plants are noted everywhere and advice on landscape use is given. The purpose of this garden, conceived by ecologist Leonard Cockayne in 1927, is to preserve New Zealand's native plants for future generations.
We also visit Wellington Botanic Gardens which are beautifully landscaped and make a particular feature a wonderful display of roses at this time.
We take the afternoon sailing of the Interislander ferry across the Cook Strait to Picton then drive a short distance for one night at Blenheim Country Lodge Hotel.
Saturday 1 December
We start our journey through the South Island with a visit to Barewood, Caroline Farraby's Garden at Blenheim. Intensive planting in terraced gardens below the house with climbers up poles and along the front of the house, give a wonderful mass of colour in spring. A pond, a shrubbery and a potager, flanked by brick walls complete the picture of this charming garden.
We then proceed down the coast to Richard and Susan Macfarlane's Winterhome Garden at Kekurengu. Wonderful sea and mountain views are the backdrop to this large, formal garden which was greatly extended in 1980. Box hedging and a sunken rose garden lead to the beautiful vistas where there are seats to enjoy the view of the ocean below. Espaliered apple trees against a semi-circular brick wall, with steps and paths of brick, lead to a collection of native trees making an interesting contrast to the formality.
We arrive in Christchurch and stay at the Chateau in the Park Hotel for two nights.
Sunday 2 December
A sightseeing tour of the city of Christchurch includes a visit to Hagley Park and the Botanical Gardens situated in a loop of the River Avon. You may also visit Mona Vale Homestead bordered by the same river. This is a picturesque woodland garden of large trees and damp loving plants around a distinctive house. A fern lined stream is home to many birds. In the afternoon we visit the garden of Sally Allison at Rangiora.
Dinner in the hotel.
Monday 3 December
We move on today, and stop for lunch at Geraldine, then go along the eastern shore of Lake Pukaki for afternoon tea and a garden visit at Braemar Station. We shall see the famous wild lupins at Church of Good Shepherd on the Lake.
We stay at the Godley Resort Hotel at Lake Tekapo for one night.
Tuesday 4 December
This morning, passing over Mount Cook Lookout, where we shall get a glimpse of the magnificent mountain, we go on to Lake Hawea Station Garden. This beautiful garden with mountain surroundings, landscaped in 1937, looks out on Lake Hawea. Here there are rockeries, rose gardens, a woodland area and four ponds with rustic bridges.
We then visit Gibston Vineyards and caves for lunch.
In the afternoon we visit Speight Gardens; eight acres of formal garden near Arrowtown, nestled against the mountains. Large groups of beautiful trees form a back-drop to hedged enclosures of specimen gardens with sculptures, formal ponds and walks. Peonies and bulbs are a feature of spring. A combination of formality and New Zealand planting make this an outstanding garden.
We travel on to beautiful Queenstown on the shores of glittering Lake Wakitipu and watched over by the Remarkables Mountains. A favourite scenic spot for all travellers to New Zealand. We stay at the Skyline Mountain View Hotel for 2 nights.
Wednesday 5 December
The morning is free to explore Queenstown and do some shopping before an evening cruise on the TSS Earnslaw, affectionately known as "Lady of the Lake". This historic steamer is a touch of nostalgia. Arriving at Walter Peak High Country Farm you will dine in the elegance of the Colonel's homestead. On your return join in on the after deck where resident pianist is always keyed up for a sing along.
Thursday 6 December
A full days wonderful scenic drive today, passing through the Homer Tunnel, to reach the world-famous Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park, a magnificent inlet from the ocean watched over by the towering Mitre Peak. A New Zealand gem of scenic splendour, arguably one of the finest sights in the world. We will take a launch trip on the Sound.
We stay at the Quality Te Anau Hotel, for one night.
Friday 7 December
This morning we head off to Dunedin, founded on the wealth of the Otago gold rush and now home to many Scottish settlers. We stay at the Skyline Leisure Lodge Hotel for 2 nights.
We stop on the way at Gore and Balaclutha and visit an alpine garden in Dunedin.
Saturday 8 December
In the morning we visit Dunedin Botanic Garden and then Glenfalloch Woodland Garden. The latter well known garden features many varieties of maples, fuchsias, rhododendrons and azaleas. A small creek is bordered with a variety of bog plants under glades of large trees. Peacocks and doves wander the paths. In the afternoon we take a Monarch Wildlife Cruise see the Albatross and Penguin colonies at the entrance to Otago Harbour. This is the home of the rare yellow-eyed penguin, an endangered species easily viewed from specially built tunnels. This is a fascinating diversion from gardens and a must for nature lovers.
Sunday 9 December
We return to Christchurch today. On our way we will stop at Moeraki Boulders, according to Maori legend, remains of food baskets washed overboard from a great canoe. We lunch at Timaru and stop in the afternoon at Stonehaven Garden at Ashburton. Local stone is used to great advantage in this lovely garden. Raised beds of alpines, rhododendrons under large trees and bulbs and perennial borders, all divided by walls to make separate enclosures. This is a notable garden visit.
We return for our final three nights in Christchurch at the Chateau on the Park Hotel.
Monday 10 December
In the morning we take a trip to gardening writer Barbara Lea-Taylor's lovely garden at Grehan Lea at Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula. After lunch in French-influenced Akaroa, we go to architect Sir Miles Warren's Ohinetahi at Governors Bay, an exquisitely landscaped garden featured in international magazines. Immaculate walled and hedged gardens surround the picturesque house. One of the most beautiful gardens in New Zealand.
Then we visit Taunton at Lyttleton. This is a large rambling garden on different levels. A stream is crossed by bridges, leading to beautiful views. The owners, Lyn & Barry Sligh, hybridise their own rhododendrons and azaleas.
Tuesday 11 December
We have a visit to Cashel, the garden near Ohoka on the Canterbury Plains of architects John and Pauline Trengrove. The rest of the day is free for shopping. We have our final dinner in New Zealand together in the hotel.
Wednesday 12 December
Depart New Zealand from Christchurch Airport.
Time to say good-bye to new friends. We take you to our specified tour flight out of Christchurch airport. We trust you have enjoyed your visit and will return one day.
