This New Zealand garden tour makes the most of New Plymouth during full rhododendron bloom. Meet private gardeners, wander magnificent Pukeiti and visit the exhibits in the unique Tawhiti Museum. Other highlights include visits to Hawera, Whanganui, Cross Hills garden and the Chateau Tongariro. This small group tour focuses on showcasing the most beautiful gardens of the North Island.
Enjoy Taranaki's beauty ahead of the festival crowds when the gardens are fresh and the gardeners too! I especially like having the gardeners and the gardens completely to ourselves. Another plus - we have transport booked to take you through massive Pukeiti and Cross Hills gardens.
5 Day / 4 Night tour departing Auckland, visiting the best Rhododendron Gardens in the central North Island with stays in New Plymouth, Whanganui and Tongariro National Park
Day 1: Auckland - Piopio - New Plymouth
We travel through the Waikato farmlands and stop for lunch with Rachel and Denzil Anselmi at Carmel Farm in Piopio. Continuing through the limestone country of the Awakino Gorge we drive out to the Tasman coast. Reaching New Plymouth we visit Ann Walker and Vince Naus' riverside garden with traditional, formal and modern plantings surrounding their 100 year old villa.
Your home for two nights, The Waterfront Hotel, is just across from Len Lye’s Wind Wand kinetic sculpture and the waterfront boardwalk. We dine in at the hotel's Salt restaurant.
- Travel the scenic Awakino Gorge to the Tasman coast
- Visit the riverside garden of Ann Walker and Vince Naus
Day 2: New Plymouth Gardens
We meet Judi Gopperth at sweet Hirst Cottage, built in 1862, where the garden features a green and white theme and Valda Poletti at renowned Te Kainga Marire, a native garden of Global Significance. We visit Tupare House and its beautiful garden then lunch at Monica's Eatery and visit the adjacent Len Lye Centre.
At Pukeiti wander the enchanted landscape of one of the world’s greatest collections of rhododendrons growing in lush rainforest on the slopes of Mt Taranaki. Buggy transport is available to take you around the pathways. We dine back in your hotel.
- Pukeiti is a 360-hectare rainforest located between Mount Taranaki and the scenic west coast
- The outstanding Len Lye Centre
Day 3: New Plymouth - Cairnhill Garden - Hawera gardens - Whanganui
We visit Pukekura Park then drive to the start of the Forgotten World Highway to Cairnhill Garden to meet June and Colin Lees and stroll in their large rhododendron and vibernum garden. In Hawera we visit Jenny and John Pease's Gravetye Garden, with sweeping lawns, hedges and topiary.
We explore Nigel Ogle's unique creation Tawhiti Museum and visit Jennifer and Ken Horner's large country garden, Puketarata set high on a hill with magnificent views before driving to Whanganui. We tour the city landmarks before checking into our hotel, The Quality Inn Collegiate.
- We explore and lunch at unique Tawhiti museum in Hawera
- Cairnhill Garden, Pukekura Park and Puketarata, iconic Taranaki gardens
Day 4: Whanganui - Cross Hills Garden - Taihape - Ruapehu
We drive over to Kimbolton in the Manawatu region to discover another gem on our New Zealand garden tour. The Wilson family's Cross Hills garden boasts 7 hectares of park like grounds with a renowned collection of over 2000 rhododendrons and azaleas. Further colour is added by tree paeonies, candelabra primulas and perennials.
Continuing north we head into the dramatic landscape of the Central Plateau and around the slopes of Mount Ruapehu to Ohakune and on to Whakapapa village and The Chateau Tongariro Hotel in Tongariro National Park. We dine this evening in this classic, landmark hotel.
- Cross Hills Garden rhododendron and azalea collection at the Wilson's farm
- At the Chateau Tongariro enjoy the stunning views, four-star service and ambience of this classic hotel
Day 5: The Chateau Tongariro - Aramatai Gardens - Crosshills - Auckland
If the weather allows, we drive up the mountain road to the Top of the Bruce for a close up view of Mt Ruapehu and panoramic views of the region. Then we’re bound for Taumarunui and Jill and Leo Mouat's Aramatai gardens then on to Crosshills Farm, north of Otorohanga where our private lunch is hosted by Debbie Robertson.
After lunch we drive north through the Waikato to Auckland. Thank you for choosing your New Zealand garden tour with MoaTours.
- We drive up to the Top of the Bruce for views of Mount Ruapehu and the Central Plateau
- In Kio Kio we lunch with Debbie Robertson at her Crosshills garden
