Renowned New Zealand designer Michael Mansvelt has transformed an empty garden centre into a site so verdant and vibrant, he has named it Jungle Nurseries.
Michael bought the 1.5-acre (6070-square-metre) property in early 2020, then with help from his team, filled it with his favourite plants. The nursery features several large glasshouses ideal for growing rare and exotic tropical plants – the main glasshouse is a must-see and perfect destination for rainy festival days. Visitors will be inspired by the interesting plant combinations and playful and rhythmic design. Refreshments available for purchase.
Admission: Free
Located in the heart of New Plymouth, Pukekura Park is a Garden of National Significance, has a five-star rating from the New Zealand Gardens Trust and has the international Green Flag award. Created in 1876, the 52ha park has an amazing range of native and exotic plants displayed in a natural setting.
The Fernery and Display Houses have been a must-see for almost a century. Linked by tunnels, the three glass-topped caverns dug into a hillside and the tropical house display a wide variety of native and exotic plants. The Fernery and Display Houses are open 8.30am-4pm.
Free public garden
Pretty, vibrant, charming and unexpected with huge plant diversity. Visit the city's oldest public cemetery featuring 6ha of mass-plantings in and around the graves and an abundance of mature trees. Five-star TripAdvisor rating.
Open dawn to dusk.
Guided walk available - Check out the event page for more details.
It’s almost unbelievable that a steep hillside overlooking the Waiwhakaiho River could be sculpted into such an elegant landscaped garden with luscious borders, majestic trees and secluded outdoor rooms.
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.
Admission: Free public garden
Located just off Te Henui Walkway, The Vicarage garden embraces history, hues and harmony.
Encircling the early colonial building is a wide variety of colourful annuals and perennials that create a restful experience. The Vicarage itself, built from Taranaki andesite in 1845, is one of the oldest surviving stone buildings in New Zealand. It’s also home to the New Plymouth Pottery Club.
Free public garden.
Over seven decades Pukeiti has built up one of the world’s biggest and most diverse rhododendron collections. Along with other exotics, they create an explosion of colour amidst lush native rainforest and beside mountain streams. The 360ha property also boasts an all-weather visitor centre and walking tracks for all fitness levels. Other highlights include the covered vireya houses, the treetop viewing platform over the waterwheel and the popular Rainforest Eatery.
What's On
1 - 10 November Pop-up artist studio and exhibition by Jana Branca in the Rātā Room. Supported by Percy Thomson Gallery. 10am-4pm.
2 November and 9 November Artist floor talk by Jana Branca in the Rātā Room. 10am start. *Free event
6 November Fine art workshop with Jana Branca in the Rātā Room. 10.30am-12pm. Please email jbranca.art@gmail.com to make your booking.
6 November Guided tour with Rhododendron Collections Officer. 10am-11.30am.
Everyday Metal sculpture exhibition by Nathan Hull Sculpture and Destine Hull in the Keiller Garden.
Every day Guided walking tour. 2pm.
Every day Mobility vehicle rides. 10am-1pm. No booking required.
Every day The Rainforest Eatery is open 8.30am-4pm during the festival.
Pukeiti is open all day every day with free entry for all. It is owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council.
King Edward Park is rated by the New Zealand Gardens Trust as a nationally significant garden. The ancestry of the park est. 1902 is seen in its charmingly formal design. The lofty close-clipped hedges give shelter to abundant azalea and rhododendron collections. This garden has rose beds of both heritage and modern varieties, historic aged trees and a century old model boating pond. The bronze statue of Wendy, is the companion piece to the Peter Pan in London’s Kensington gardens. The 150-year-old cannon has long been a favourite toy for children, along with the pirate ship. Seek out some of the hidden features along pathways or bring a picnic to seated areas.
The Observatory, originally a tea kiosk capped with a band rotunda, is undergoing refurbished inside to become a park museum.
Free public garden.
Stratford’s King Edward Park is a gem in the heart of Taranaki, showcasing the area’s unique history, a colourful array of plantings, and the Pātea Awa. Take the Three Bridges Trail spanning the river, wander along easy walkways of mixed exotic and native gardens and enjoy the McCullough Rhododendron Dell.
Remember to visit the Malone Memorial Gates, built in 1923 to honour local Gallipoli hero Colonel William George Malone, who also invented the lemon squeezer hat.
Free public garden.
Event: La Mer Jazz in the Gardens. The French café-style music of La Mer will float through three gardens during the festival. Pack a picnic and head out for gypsy swing classics led by vocalist Dominique Blatti. La Mer’s line-up also includes Bernie Schmid on guitar, Malcolm Alder on bass, Helen Griffiths on violin and Aaron Bosch on piano accordion. Find out more on the event page
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. It’s built on the legacy of renowned plantsman Bernie Hollard, who established the garden in the 1920s. Year-round, Hollard Gardens buzzes with the sound of insects and birds feeding on seasonal flowers, fruits and seeds. Kids love the quirky playground in the family corner, with free barbecues on hand.
A visit to Bernie’s home garden has lots of ideas for the keen home gardener and is well worth a look, along with the food forest and compelling visitor centre nestled amongst the trees.
Free public garden.