Re: New Zealand Gardens

**"* W* B* <c*@gardengate.net>**

Lucky... you are in for a treat! I'd move there in a NY minute if I could. 
Very nice country, nice folks, civilized, low crime rate, camper van parks 
are great and they have cheap rooms there if you don't have a camper van.

Unfortunately January is the heaviest tourist month.... get reservations!

There is SO much but here's a few

Auckland area:
Waikeke Island, take ferry to island, Connells Bay, John & Jo 
Gow...sculpture garden right on the water... also lots of vineyards....
Zealandia, Terry Springer north of Auckland not sure where but it's well 
known... also sculpture
North of Auckland ... east coastline is crowded but some wonderful spot... 
west coast has the huge native tree forests
Hamilton City Gardens - Hamilton
Napier - wonderful east coast sea town restored from 30's earthquake with 
mostly art deco architecture which, as yet, has not be totally ruined
Gannet Safari to Kidnappers Cove is worth it
Rotorua area, touristy but worth it. Nice parks, nice homes, decent 
attractions albeit repetitious
Gwavas Station, Michael and Carola Hudson Personal arboretum plants from 
every where in southern hemisphere (on the road to Wellington not sure 
exactly where)
Otari Native Garden in Wellington
Governor's mansion in Wellington
Te Papa Museum in Wellington is a must see and it's free! Great gift shop.

South Island
Northern part of the South Island is nursery and vineyard country
Marlborough Sounds area, tough access but it's heaven on earth
Able Tasman Peninsula, north of Nelson, to die for, all the way up to Cape 
Farewell... take side roads... lots to see... several days
Nelson downtown nice too, great art area
Do the entire west coast... one day or two... hidden treasures... slow down 
and look
Do Doubtful Sound overnight on a ship (best trip ever)... Doubtful is better 
than or let's say different than Milford Sound, both worth it if you have 
time
Queenstown is a must... at least 3 days... it's got it all for nature lovers 
and adventurers... take a helicopter ride and land on a snow capped mountain
Christchurch... main city garden is very nice and so is the museum there
downtown is lovely and small enough to walk all over
Banks Peninsula... do it all
Ohinetahi the garden of Sir Miles Warren... wow
In Akaroa go see Josie Martin's garden... ask a local, on the hill right in 
town.... whimsical and wonderfully different.... she's a flower child hold 
out
Dunedin - city botanical garden is well done... explore the Otago Peninsula 
and see the Albatross colony at the head of the bay

I spent 3 weeks in January the first trip on a dedicated garden tour and 5 
weeks last November on my own and I'll go back someday

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lorraine Ballato" <ladygardener@msn.com>
To: "Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum" 
<gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 12:39 PM
Subject: [GWL] New Zealand Gardens

> Hello, all!
>
> Luckily for me, I'll be traveling to New Zealand in January and would like 
> to see as many gardens as my energy and husband's enthusiasm will endure.
>
> On doing some research, it seems there are hundreds (surprise!).  I'd 
> appreciate any and all recommendations anyone can offer to get the number 
> down to a manageable size, especially if there are some that I need to 
> pre-arrange. We'll be all over both islands with rental cars so I don't 
> think location will be much of an issue.
>
> Thanks and regards,
> Lorraine
>
> Lorraine Ballato
> 16 Mudry Farm Rd
> Brookfield CT 06804
> (203)740-8636
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