As poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote, ‘nothing is so beautiful as spring’. So, kiss winter goodbye and surround yourself with the fresh colours and blooms of the new season’s flowers. Wendy Montrose offers some tips for places to go to embrace this vibrant time of the year.
1. Rogers Roses
Hamilton Gardens is a national treasure, and in spring, Rogers Rose Garden tells the story of the development of the modern rose in a mass of colour. An abundance of climbers on frames, weeping roses on hoops and ground covers, hybrid teas, and floribundas mass-planted in large informal beds will sweep you away with their perfume. The formal French section is my favourite. With ancient species on display, it smells sublime, and you can’t beat a blousy Gallic bloom. Free to enjoy, Rogers Rose Garden is best accessed via Gate 2.
2. Hukutaia Domain’s Natives
Our native flowers are seldom showy but if you look closely, you’re rewarded with some of the most beautiful inflorescences to ever grow on trees. To see a variety, a visit to this Eastern Bay of Plenty treasure is a must and there’s no better time than spring. Tree fuschia, kowhai, and puriri among many other flowers carpet the tracks and feed the nectar loving birds, bringing the very air alive with song. Located just out of Opotiki, this 4.5-hectare bush remnant is home to a collection of rare native plants gathered from all over the country. At the heart of Hukutaia stands a 2000-year-old puriri tree, Taketakerau, the burial tree, where the bones of distinguished ancestors of the Ūpokorehe hapu were once stored. With an estimated 1500 different species, it’s the place to visit for a glimpse of our unique flora.
3. Taranaki’s Rhododendrons
Spring isn’t spring without rhododendrons and where better to see them than at the world-famous Pukeiti on the slopes of Mount Taranaki. Open all day, every day, and free to enter, Pukeiti hosts one of the world’s biggest and most diverse collections of rhododendrons along with other exotics such as magnolias and camellias. The 35-minute Rhododendron Stroll or the Valley of the Giants Walk are accessible for most and there’s freedom camping in certified vehicles provided for in the car park.
4. Alexandra Blossom Festival
Alexandra, in the Central Otago fruit bowl, celebrates its Diamond Jubilee (60 years) this year of the Alexandra Blossom Festival. The festival runs from 23 to 26 September, starting with the annual Round the Clock Race. If you’re more a spectator than a competitor, there’s a whole weekend of events to enjoy, including fireworks, a grand procession and float parade, and a garden tour. The Senior Queen Competition celebrates the contribution of local women to the district and for the blokes, there’s a parade of trucks and a Freestyle Motocross Event.
5. Auckland’s Tulips
An extravaganza of colour with more than 15,000 flowering bulbs is at the heart of Eden Gardens, once an overgrown quarry but now bursting with vibrant charm. For 40 years, the Eden Garden Society has laboured to create this five-and-a-half-acre sanctuary, and spring is the ideal time to tiptoe through the tulips. At this time of year, the mature rhododendrons, magnolias, and flowering cherries also put on a stunning display. So go along to the festival, tiptoe through the tulips, and explore. With a strong focus on conservation, plants are also available to purchase.
6. Kaikōura Snapdragons
Passing through Kaikōura in spring, those in the know keep their eyes peeled for a wildflower display like no other – antirrhinums aplenty. Better known as snapdragons, they cover rocky banks in a myriad of pinks and purples with the odd yellow or white thrown in for good measure. Likely naturalised from domestic gardens, they are believed to be the same species as found along the Mediterranean shores from Morocco to Turkey and are sure to leave a smile on your face.
7. Hawke’s Bay Daffodils
Can you even conjure 20 acres of daffodils in your mind? I can’t. Not only will you get to see them in the flesh, so to speak, but in the first half of September, you can stroll through, dance in, and pick daffodils 10 minutes south of Waipukurau on SH2. Taniwha Daffodils is part of a working farm and in spring attracts thousands of visitors from all over New Zealand to enjoy the fruits of 25 years of planting by the Mabin family. Grab a bucket and go pick a bunch; you’ll not get them at a better price and at the same time you’ll be contributing to the good work done by the Taniwha Daffodil Charitable Trust.
8. Featherston Cherry Blossoms
Located next to the Featherston Military Camp Memorial on SH 2, I stumbled upon the Sakura Garden one day on a road trip to Wellington. Known to locals as the Japanese Peace Garden, this memorial to soldiers who lost their lives at the nearby prisoner of war camp during WWII features 68 flowering cherry trees. Planted in straight rows like soldiers, there’s one for each man who never returned to his homeland. With frothy blossoms filling the air and spent petals carpeting the path, the sense of peace in the garden is echoed by the hum of bees. A memorial shelter displays historical images and seats and tables invite visitors to linger.
