Special Interests >> New Zealand >> Gardening
 
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Festivals

February: The Festival of Flowers Christchurch .

April / May: Arrowtown Autumn Festival.

September/ October:

Alexandra Blossom Festival. Central Otago.

Dunedin Rhododendron Festival, Dunedin .

November:

Taranaki Rhododendron Festival, New Plymouth .

Hunters Garden Marlborough, Blenheim.

Whangarei Garden Discovery.

Ellerslie Flower Show, Manakau City , Auckland .

December / February : Wanganui in bloom.


Seasons

New Zealand has 4 distinct seasons with as little as 10 degrees of temperature variation. Here's what you will see in various seasons.
   

Spring: September / November.

Full bloom of most plants, fruit trees, shrubs, bulbs. Look for the Golden flowered Kowhai trees, Clematis appears over the forest umbrella, Rhododendrons peak in November.

Summer: December / February.

Look for New Zealand 's Christmas tree, the vivid red, Pohutukawa, the Mount Cook Lily and the colourful and wild lupins.

Autumn: March / May.

The changing colour season when ornamental shrubs and trees green leaves fade to gold, yellow, orange, tangerine as they brown off and blow away to stark nakedness. Central Otago , the fall of the Apricot trees, poplars, willows on the riverbanks all makes the area a massive artists pallet of glorious colour. Queenstown, Roxburgh, Alexandra, Cromwell, Wanaka and Arrowtown are but a few towns. Mix this tour with some wine tasting and beautiful food and your trip is well rewarding. In May the snow caps appear on the Southern Alps and post card beauty is born.

Winter: June / August.

The Flora is never bare, most native trees being ever greens. Rhododendrons flower late in winter and gardens are in the south islands illuminated with falls of snow. New Zealand is a winter playground and offers the freshness of the season but a beauty that is New Zealand . The Mountain regions are now well covered with snow and this adds to the scenery as you drive from city to city. Winter or summer, Christchurch has it all.

Key Gardens To Visit

  

North Island:

Parnell Rose Gardens, Auckland

Cornwall Park and regional Botanic Gardens, Auckland

Eden Gardens, Auckland

Rapaura Water Gardens, Tapu, Thames Valley

Rose Gardens, Hamilton and Te Awamutu

Government Gardens, Rotorua.

Cross Hills Gardens, Kimbolton, Rangitikie

Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust in New Plymouth

Wellington Botanic Gardens. Wellington

And there are many more throughout the country areas.

 

South Island:

Christchurch Botanic Gardens , Christchurch .

Mona Vale and Hagley Park , Christchurch .

Wilsons Mill garden, Ohoka, North Canterbury .

Orari Estate, Geraldine.

Ashburton's Botanic Gardens, Ashburton.

Oamaru's Public Gardens, Oamaru.

Invercargill's Queens Park, Invercargill.

Queenstown Gardens , Queenstown.

And there are many more throughout the country areas here too...