38. Christiansen Garden On the outskirts of Hāwera, Steve and Kerry Christiansen have created a semi-formal garden with manicured lawns and shapely hedging of many varieties. This one-acre garden, less than seven years old, is dotted with rustic garden art, along with Kerry’s birdhouses made from recycled materials and Steve’s metal sculptures including a full-sized deer. You’ll also see an avenue of espaliered fruit trees, a quaint black-and-white craft shed and greenhouse. Garden art for sale. Featured in NZ House & Garden. BACK TO GARDENS TICKETS ADDRESS 200 Ketemarae Road, Hāwera 4674, New Zealand OPENING TIMES 9am-4:30pm GARDENER Steve & Kerry Christiansen contact christiansenfamily@xtra.co.nz 021 901 178 Related Events

Botanical Art Workshops with Jennifer Duval-Smith Join botanical artist Jennifer Duval-Smith for a relaxing, inspiring workshop series suited to all skill levels. Learn to create a simple concertina sketchbook and use it to capture observations from nature. Jennifer will guide you through techniques to see and draw finer details, transforming how you experience the outdoors. Weather permitting, sessions include time outside drawing from life. No experience is needed, and all materials are provided. You’ll gain practical strategies for sketching plants with confidence while creating your own nature journal page and learning to let go of perfection and enjoy the creative process. Draw Flowers of the Spring Border: Fri 30 Oct, 10am-1pm Draw Rambling Roses: Sat 31 Oct, 10am-1pm Draw a Native Leaf with Confidence: Sun 1 Nov, 10am-1pm DATE & TIME Fri 30 Oct - Sun 1 Nov at 10am 3 hours VENUE Riverlea 367 Corbett Road, Paraite 4373, New Zealand admission $110pp (max. 10 people per session) TICKETS sponsored by Botanical Art Workshops with Jennifer Duval-Smith

Glenbrook Vintage Train Garden Excursion New Plymouth to Hāwera - ReturnAll aboard! We’re excited to announce the Glenbrook Vintage Railway train is returning for the Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival. The refurbished heritage diesel train arrives mid-week – just the ticket for a day out from New Plymouth to Hāwera and back. In South Taranaki, you’ll be taken by coach to visit four glorious properties – the Sullivan Garden, Gravetye, Oakley and the Christiansen Garden. For this event, hosted by local garden enthusiasts, you can order a picnic bag lunch or pack your own to enjoy in a beautiful setting. DATE & TIME Wed 4 Nov at 8:30am 9 hours VENUE Departs Tasman Prospect 90 Saint Aubyn Street, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4310, New Zealand admission $130pp (lunch not included) $155 pp (picnic lunch included) TICKETS sponsored by Glenbrook Vintage Train

Hanging Baskets with Jenny Oakley Hanging baskets are fun and simple to do if you follow a few basic rules. You can create a spectacular combination of plants that you will enjoy for many months. Come along and learn about the tips and tricks Jenny uses when creating her spectacular baskets. DATE & TIME Sat 31 Oct & Sat 7 Nov at 2pm VENUE Oakley Garden admission Garden entry fee only TICKETS sponsored by Hanging Baskets

15. Tītoki Thirty-five years ago the only feature on this property was a lone Tītoki. Now this special tree is the centrepiece of a delightful sanctuary garden. Wandering down steps and paths, visitors will find a garden that opens out to reveal a variety of plantings and features, including camellias, rhododendrons, roses and a terraced vegetable garden, all with a backdrop of stunning native bush. BACK TO GARDENS TICKETS ADDRESS 16A Kinross Drive, Merrilands, New Plymouth 4312, New Zealand OPENING TIMES 9am-5pm GARDENER John & Janet King contact jjade.king@xtra.co.nz 027 301 4728 Related Events Twilight Tours

4. Te Kukumara Te Kukumara is a sub-tropical garden for fun, family and feathered friends. Add art, automobiles and an aviary, plus palms, pigeon doves and plantings en masse to imagine Bryce and Delwyn Barnett’s 10-acre (4-hectare) garden near Waitara. The cars are classics, the birds on show are Indian ringnecks and the lake is home to Peking ducks. An ongoing vision for 32 years, this “garden for everyone” has courts for tennis, petanque and beach volleyball, and a children’s playground. Picnickers welcome. BACK TO GARDENS TICKETS ADDRESS 10 Mountain Road, Sentry Hill 4373, New Zealand OPENING TIMES 9am-5pm GARDENER Bryce & Delwyn Barnett contact delwyn@xtra.co.nz 0274835246 Related Events Blooms & Brews

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the Taranaki Garden Festival, including tickets, entry, accessibility, transport, gardens and event information. Festival FAQ’s General How much does it cost to visit a garden? GARDEN ENTRY: Private gardens $5 entryPublic gardensFREE ENTRY How do I purchase tickets? What times are the gardens open? Are the festival gardens accessible? Are animals and pets allowed in the gardens? Do any gardens offer food and drink? Are children allowed at the festival gardens? Where is the Festival Hub located? Where can I find a printed programme? FAQs

29. The Van der Poel Garden A charming 30-minute drive from New Plymouth, this traditional spacious country garden is set amongst expansive lawns. Established mature trees including a century old Puriri tree and formal plantings seamlessly lead to a native bush walk. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy this garden at your leisure. Punctuated with sculptures by Italian artists Simone Cenedese, Alfredo Barbini and Christchurch sculptor, Gary Baynes, this natural setting provides an inspiring amphitheatre for art. Complimentary tea and coffee available. Art is for sale. BACK TO GARDENS TICKETS ADDRESS 92 Ruakere Road, Warea 4381, New Zealand OPENING TIMES 9am-5pm GARDENER Maria & Hugo van der Poel contact hugo_maria@xtra.co.nz 027 633 0351 Related Events

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Discover Taranaki: Explore the Beauty of North Taranaki’s Premier Gardens Join renowned horticulturist and writer, Tony Barnes , for an exclusive guided tour of five spectacular gardens in North Taranaki. Before each visit, Tony will introduce the garden, sharing its history, design, and plant collections while offering fascinating insights into the plants and how they thrive in the region. Your first stop is The Yews , a garden of timeless beauty featuring structured landscapes, majestic mature trees, and vibrant seasonal colour. Towering yews frame picturesque views, while winding paths lead through beautifully curated plantings. Next is Pukemara , a garden of two contrasting areas. A colourful courtyard showcases annuals, perennials, vireyas, roses, and maples, while the woodland garden features rhododendrons, azaleas, viburnums, hydrangeas, and mature trees. Pukemara is also home to an impressive collection of hostas, many available for purchase. The third garden is Waiongana , set beside the peaceful Waiongana Stream. Carefully designed to complement its natural surroundings, it combines mature trees, colourful seasonal plantings, meandering pathways, and tranquil water views. Here you can purchase lunch, with delicious savouries, cakes, tea, coffee, and cold drinks available. After lunch, explore the historic Lepper Garden , now in its sixth generation of family ownership. Surrounding a century-old homestead, this one-hectare country garden features magnificent English trees, native bush, spacious lawns, curved beds, garden rooms, and colourful displays of clivias, hostas, ligularia, roses, and rhododendrons. Your final destination is Tropics on Mangati , an island-inspired paradise filled with palms, cycads, bromeliads, lush tropical foliage, perennials, ferns, agaves, and rhododendrons. Water features, a fishpond, vertical gardens, and garden art complete this spectacular finale. A wonderful opportunity to experience some of North Taranaki's finest gardens while learning from one of the region's most respected gardening experts. DATE & TIME Sat 7 Nov at 9:30am-4pm 6 hours & 30 mins VENUE Departs from the Festival Hub, Plymouth International Hotel 220 Courtenay Street, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4312, New Zealand admission $265pp (max. 10 people) (incl. entry and tour of 5 gardens & coach transport. Lunch at Waiongana at own cost. TICKETS sponsored by Discover Taranaki: Explore the Beauty of North Taranaki’s Premier Gardens

Discover Taranaki: Transforming Outdoor Spaces A Landscape Tour with Chris Paul Join renowned landscape consultant and founder of Plan-it Earth Landscape Chris Paul with over 35 years of experience, on an inspiring tour of five town and country Taranaki gardens. As a current assessor for both the New Zealand Gardens Trust and the Taranaki Garden Festival, Chris offers unmatched insight into the creative and practical processes behind crafting truly stunning outdoor spaces. Whether you're designing urban retreats, coastal sanctuaries, or sustainable landscapes, this tour will provide valuable lessons on how to approach garden transformation from a landscape architecture perspective. Visited Gardens: Gravetye: a masterclass of design Cairnhill: a garden of vibrancy and colour Portia’s Place: a romantic two-year-old garden with 100-year-old bones Riverlea: lesson in design around the homestead La Ultima: a small newly established town garden Throughout the tour, Chris will share his wisdom and methodology , including: How to assess and respond to site conditions Balancing aesthetics with function Choosing the right planting palette for various environments Principles of sustainable and regenerative design The art of long-term vision in garden development This is a rare opportunity to learn firsthand from a Master of Landscape Design. DATE & TIME Sat 31 Oct at 9am-5:45pm 8 hours & 45 mins VENUE Departs from the Festival Hub, Plymouth International Hotel 220 Courtenay Street, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4312, New Zealand admission $345pp (max 10 people) (incl. entry and tour of 5 gardens, morning tea, lunch, drinks at the end & coach transport) TICKETS sponsored by Discover Taranaki: Transforming Outdoor Spaces

Day Tripper - North to South By popular demand, our Day Tripper coach tour is back. Whether you’re heading North to South, or South to North, you can sit back, relax and enjoy a outdoor adventure through five fabulous festival gardens. There will be a lunch stop at King Edward Park in Hāwera, so please pack a picnic. Both tours are perfect for non-drivers, and garden lovers keen to share the day with others. So, leave the driving to us and get your ticket to ride. Visited Gardens: Portia’s Place Gravetye Sullivan Garden Sustainable Backyards - Joradalee Creek DATE & TIME Tue 3 Nov at 8:45am-5pm VENUE Departs from the Festival Hub, Plymouth International Hotel 220 Courtenay Street, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4312, New Zealand admission $85pp (incl. garden entry fee & transport) TICKETS sponsored by Day Tripper - North to South