Hamilton Gardens: Secret and Enchanting

We visited the Hamilton Gardens in the full bloom of summer and it turned out to be the perfect time of year. The flowers were in full display and the colours were amazing.

Nau mai, Haere mai.

• Location: Hamilton Gardens, Hungerford Crescent, Hamilton 3216
• Entry: free
• Open: 9-5pm daily
• Café: Hamilton Gardens Café
• Free parking
• Kids playground
• Information Centre and Gift Shop

It’s an easy day trip from Auckland with enough time to take in the gardens and perhaps one or two other Hamilton attractions… we chose the gardens and the tea plantation.

The gardens have guided tours but we wanted to explore them in our own time. Nisha had visited on a previous occasion and she wanted me to see the gardens without any prep… it was a surprise at each turn!

The gardens are unlike any conventional garden that you have seen. They incorporate not only flowers, trees, edibles, lawns and foliage but also sculptures, seats, buildings, walls, paths, bridges, lake, river etc. A crafted and themed mix of everything.

It felt surprising, like opening a door and discovering a secret walled garden… but many times over. As if you gasped and wanted to hold your breath.

Paths and bridges and doors lead on and on…

There are many places you will love to run around, especially the surrealist garden with the huge door for example or you may wish to quietly ponder, perhaps on the bridge in the Japanese Garden of Contemplation. In the Mansfield Garden you will think you are about to attend a garden tea party after arriving in your Model T Ford.

Tributes and imagery abound.

…and it’s free!

Nisha and I spent almost the whole day exploring and enjoying each and every garden. We had a coffee and sandwich at the café then we headed for the Zealong Tea Estate for a cup of piping hot oolong tea to finish off the day before we started on the journey home.

The tea estate was pretty and the tea was fragrant. We loved the gardens here. But it was pricy and we felt we should have ordered more than just tea.

Ngā mihi nui. 

Thanks for coming along – more adventures soon ♡ Janet