Where are the Best Places to see Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau’s Spring Blooms?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

Spring is in the air!! 🌸 Today I am super excited to bring you a list of the places I love to visit in Springtime so you can think about a plan to explore these beautiful places this season.

Most of the photos are part of my daughter’s collection. She is an avid photographer and wanted to capture colourful and interesting scenes close to home… we love to search for the perfect location for a beautiful photo. We decided to visit several of these beautiful attractions in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau which for the most part are free.

Follow the hyper link under every heading to the relevant web site for more information. 🌸

Locations have a Google Map hyperlink. Please feel free to ask questions or leave me a comment below.

Table of Contents

1. Table of Contents
2. Cornwall Park
3. Auckland Botanic Gardens- Spring Blossom Valley
4. Auckland Domain
5. NZ Cherry Blossom Festival
6. CCT Lavender Farm
7. Wright’s Water Gardens
8. Pick Your Own Strawberries
9. Eden Gardens
10. Parnell Rose Gardens
11. Your Neighbourhood
12. Ambury Farm

Cornwall Park

Location: Green Lane West, Epsom, Auckland 1051

Here the cherry blossoms come into bloom late September/ early October every year for about 4 weeks. You can wander around under a beautiful canopy of blossoms and stage the most stunning floral Instagram photo to share with your family and friends. There is normally quite a large crowd so it pays to visit on a week day rather than a weekend or otherwise try to get ahead of the crowds by visiting first thing in the morning.

There are two locations in the park so download the following map of the park:

Auckland Botanic Gardens- Spring Blossom Valley

Location: 102 Hill Road, The Gardens, Auckland 2105

The perfect backdrop to your special Instagram photo is in Spring Blossom Valley which is expected to be at its best in October, keep an eye on Facebook page for updates.

One of the most beautiful things that struck me was the proliferation of birdlife and I found myself spending a lot longer than anticipated just watching the trees not only to take in the blossoms but also to see all the birds feeding, and the bird calls were lovely. This means we really needed a few hours to take it all in and it was also a good time to wander the large gardens and enjoy the beautiful setting.

Auckland Domain

Location: Park Road, Grafton, Auckland 1010

I don’t think the Auckland Domain and gardens need any introduction because it must be on your list as one of the iconic places in Auckland to visit on a regular basis… I know it is on mine!

The joy here is to walk, meander, stroll over the acres of grounds to see the seasonal flower beds which is always a delight. The flowers on show are always at their best so there is a picture perfect opportunity at every turn. Such a peaceful escape in the middle of the city. Last year we visited here in late spring but we usually try to go often.

NZ Cherry Blossom Festival

Location: English Cherry Tree Manor, 125 Matangi Road, Tamahere, Hamilton, Waikato

The garden is the perfect backdrop for your stunning photo. Hire a private tent, a costume, a pink umbrella and indulge in high tea… guaranteed to delight!

Dates are set for Sat-Mon 24-26 Sept 2022 and Sat-Mon 1-3 October 2022, be sure to book, just follow the hyperlink under the heading above.

CCT Lavender Farm

Location: 242 Urquhart Road, Karaka 2580

We fell in love with the gardens here. There was a sea of purple and the constant hum of bees… it felt like we were far away from the bustle of Auckland and yet it was just a 35 minute drive from home. It’s an Instagram paradise. Lots of people brought tripods, go pros, gimbals… we also saw some adventurous person bring a ladder. I think the motto for this is don’t be shy… you have to do what you need to do just to get that perfect Instagram pic…

… and it works, just check out the photos tagged with @cctlavender on Insta, they are simply beautiful.

The café is a great place to pick up a good coffee but you can circumvent this and head straight for the fields.

Entrance fee:

• $15            Adult (16 years and over)
• $12            Child (11-15 years)
• Free           Child (10 years and under)
• $49            Family pass (2 Adult + up to 3 children)

My one tip for you is to get there early.

Wright’s Water Gardens

Location: 128 Mauku Road, Patumahoe 2678

We enjoyed the water gardens and walked for ages around the paths, up the steps, through the bushy trails. It was a good place to visit when going to the Lavender gardens because it is close by and both can be done in a day.

There is an entrance fee:

• Adults: $8
• Seniors (65+) and Students: $6
• Children (5-15yrs): $4
• Family (2 adults and 2 children): $20
• Dogs and small kids: free

Pick Your Own Strawberries

Location: 464 State Highway 16, Kumeū 0892

The first flush of strawberries are in Spring but the gardens are not usually open for PYO until after the height of the season once all the export harvests are finished. We had a wonderful time in the strawberry gardens searching out the plumpest and juiciest strawberries for our bucket, eating a sample or two along the way. These photos are from my daughter’s Instagram feed.

PYO runs from Boxing Day 2022 until early February 2023 (exact dates tbc). Keep an eye on the web site by following the hyperlink under the heading above.

There are 2 locations available for picking:

1. 228 Nixon Road, Taupaki (open)
2. 464 State Hwy 16, Kumeu (closed)

The web site tells you how it works:

• Head to 464 State Highway 16, Kumeu. Collect your bucket at the kiosk. Entry fee is $8.50 per adult, which includes your first kilo. Children aged 12 and under enter free, you just pay for what they pick.
• Pick as much as you like. Yes, you can eat as you pick! Additional kilos are charged at $8.50 per kg.
• Once you have picked enough of our juicy red strawberries, make your way back to the kiosk for weighing.
• Head over to our shop for a delicious strawberry ice cream, smoothie or gelato!

Eden Gardens

Location: 24 Omana Avenue, Epsom, Auckland 1023

I haven’t visited for a while but my daughter and I want to see the tulips this year.

The web site mentions a fun event for the family, the Eden Garden Tulip Festival–

• Visit Eden Gardens to see the tulips awhile they are still out in full bloom, keep an eye on the web site under the heading above for this years dates.
• It’s Auckland’s largest Tulip Display and is a great day out for the whole family with over 10,000 flowering spring bulbs on display.
• There will be live music, kids activities. Plus there is a cafe on site and market stalls during the Festival.

Parnell Rose Gardens

Location: Dove-Meyer Robinson Park, 85-87 Gladstone Road, Parnell, Auckland 1052

Every November the Parnell Festival of Roses takes place in the gardens with arts and craft stalls, displays of art, live music and performers. Check the web site under the heading above for dates. It is a fun family activity and is the perfect time to view thousands of roses in full bloom but of course, the gardens are free for you to visit all year.

Your Neighbourhood

Don’t forget to look around your neighbourhood for beautiful blossoms. There is a huge tree in full blossom just two streets over from my house on St Luke’s Road and it is stunning. The most wonderful thing is that tuis are constantly flitting among the branches feeding on the flowers and we can get relatively close to observe.

Ambury Farm

​Location: 43 Ambury Road, Māngere Bridge, Auckland 2022

Here is where you can see farm animals in the Auckland region. I’m hoping to see lambs this year and perhaps even get a chance to help feed them.

I’m super pleased that you got all the way to the end… there is a lot of info here for you to take in but I hope you have enjoyed a good read with beautiful photos. I have loved making this post, it’s been a delight. Thanks for following me.