Hamilton Gardens

My little Mum (she's only 5')

 On Friday, Mum and I visited the Hamilton Gardens for a look at some of the 'gardens' and to have lunch. Mum volunteers in the Information Centre once a fortnight.  In pre European times, Te Parapara, a pa of the Ngati Wairere tribe was located near the current Te Parapara garden site. The Waikato River makes up one border of the Gardens. During the 1960's the gully through the centre of the site became the Hamilton Rufuse Dump and I remember going there with my Dad to dump trailer loads of rubbish in the 70's. Building the gardens on an old 'rubbish' dump has presented many challenges. In the 1950's and for many years, there was also basketball courts, indoor bowls hall, go-kart track, Girl Guides, Boy Scouts and Air Force Association rooms. Only the Girl Guides club rooms remain today. The Municipal Nursery was established in 1906, but then it was owned and known as Bateson's Nursery. It changed to the Municipal Nursery in 1951 and the site is still producing most of the plants used within the gardens today. Hamilton East Cemetery was established at the eastern end of the site in 1863.

The gardens have developed enormously since first opening in July 1960 with the Tropical Display House which was set on 4 acres of lawn. The Rogers Rose Garden (which we did not visit today) was developed for the first World Rose Convention in 1971. Most development seen today has occurred since the late 1980's and was designed by Dr Peter Sergel. Dr Sergel is a Director of the Gardens today and continues to mastermind its continued development. The gardens sits on 52 hectares (approximately, not all of which is yet developed); 18 gardeners are employed to maintain the existing gardens. Many events are held within the gardens and there is a nice cafe overlooking Turtle Lake which serves some yummy food.

Currently there are several more themed gardens under development and others (5) planned for the future.  Under construction now are the Mansfield, Concept and Picturesque Gardens.

Today Mum and I visited the Chinese Scholars' Garden, the English Flower Garden, the Japanese Garden of Contemplation, Modernist Garden, the Italian Renaissance Garden, the Indian Char Bagh Garden, Te Parapara Garden, the Tudor Garden,the Kitchen Garden (my dream vegetable garden), the Herb Garden, the Sustainable Backyard Garden and the Tropical Garden. The photos below are in the order of the gardens listed above.

Chinese Garden

These tree trunks were rather spectacular

The English Flower garden has so much colour in it at present; flowers and foliage. I took many photos in here, but thought I'd put the one below up. The goldfish decided to hide under the lily pads, however they are rather big. A number of weddings are held in this garden each year.

English Flower Garden.

Modernist Garden

Apart from the Kitchen Garden, the Italian Renaissance Garden has always been my favourite. Today, it was a bit bare of colour, however, I still like the citrus trees in big tubs in the corners of all the garden beds and the fountain in the middle.

Italian Renaissance Garden

Italian Renaissance Garden

Italian Renaissance Garden

Indian Char Bagh Garden (there are 1000 plants in each of these four gardens.

Te Parapara Garden

a pataka (storehouse for food)

Kumera planted in traditional mounds. These plants are all old traditional varieties. 

The Kitchen Garden is an example of the classic European 17th, 18th and 19th Century estate kitchen garden. It is enclosed by high brick walls and has six raised square garden beds, divided by paths. The gardens around the walls have espaliered fruit trees and vines growing against it.  I would love to have a vegetable garden like this, although, not quite this big.

An Artichoke flower

Rhubarb

The Kitchen Garden

The Herb garden and Sustainable garden are also ones I visit each time I go to the Hamilton Gardens. I would love to have one of each, including the chickens that live in the Sustainable garden.

Bronze Fennel

Alice and Wonderland always get some attention, from both adults and children alike.

Today, two gardeners were trimming all these hedges. One using a small electric hedger to trim the sides and most of the top growth off, the other, hand shears tidying them up. They said it takes 2 to 3 days per square to get to them all done. Their poor backs!

Tudor Garden

The tropical garden wasn't that colourful today. I have been there when it is a riot of colour on the banks of the man-made stream, but today the not so much colour, but a good reflection of the plants and sky in the inky blackness of the water, along with some lovely tropical plants. 

Bird of Paradise; always reminds me of my Grandmother. 

In 2014 the Hamilton Gardens won the International Garden of the Year award as part of the Garden Tourism Awards held at the International Conference Gardens without Limits, held in Metz, France.  These gardens are well worth a visit if you ever come to Hamilton. I try and visit them every time I'm here and there is always something new to see and learn.

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