The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga garden is one of the oldest New Zealand European gardens south of the Bay of Islands. Originally created by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) between 1834-1844, as were The Treaty House gardens at Waitangi. Both The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga and The Treaty House Gardens retain some of the in situ, Maori and European cultivated vegetation with considerable archaeological landscape content. The landscape archaeology is now perhaps the most valuable resource to be preserved for understanding more fully the history of this place.

Woodlands Historic Homestead, Gardens & Function Centre is a garden of rare historic, and landscape interest. In 1870 it began as the centre of a vast 98,000 acre farming enterprise from whence the first butter was exported - under the Anchor brand. The neo-Gothic homestead was built in 1875 and the many fine trees planted a year later.

The gardens at Hobbiton™ Movie Set have a naturally rambling style, with a profusion of plants co-existing without rigid lines or divisions. Designed and created for the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies, the Hobbiton Movie Set gardens tell a unique story of the individual and communal lives of the fictional characters known as “hobbits.”

Many sculptures and ornaments feature in the garden and there are many spaces to wander through and soak up the wonderful views. Mixed shrubs and herbaceous plantings with roses are found through the entire garden.

Wharepuke means ‘house on the hill’ in Te Reo Maori. The owner Robin Booth has a wealth of experience as a nurseryman and landscaper. He began developing the garden, which sits in a valley running down to the historic Stone Store in Kerikeri, in 1993.

The Quarry Gardens are a spectacular sub-tropical oasis in the heart of Whangarei. Since the 1990s it has been transformed from an abandoned commercial quarry into the flourishing garden it is today because of the dedication of local volunteers and gardeners. As an ever changing community project it continues to grow and offers new experiences with every visit.

Managed by the New Plymouth District Council, Pukekura is a nationally significant park with a large exotic specimen tree collection inter planted within a margin of luxuriant native bush. The park has been continuously developed since its inception in 1876. Its north south linear shape follows a natural stream valley where a series of artificial lakes have been created by damming the flow at various points.

The garden surrounds the house and extends out across a sloping lawn and planted terraces to a creek. Bold groupings of roses and palms frame the entrance to the house and a paved courtyard and pool area are contained by detailed plantings of palms and cycads.

Hlomo Hlomo is a Zulu phrase, meaning "I stuck my spear in the ground and claim it as mine." The development of this garden started when the family home was built in 2002, evolving from the bare paddock it was then.

The homestead was established in 1939 with pohutukawa planted around it. Moreton Bay figs and ngaio were established to shelter the homestead with bougainvillea, hibiscus and jacaranda planted on the eastern frost-free side of the house.

Pukeiti is located adjacent to the National Park - on the slopes of Taranaki. It features many kilometres of well-formed tracks for either a garden walk or a longer adventure into the rainforest. Wonder at the beauty of the world-class rhododendron collection, sense the history and learn the stories of the land.

This extraordinary garden is a plant lover's paradise, featuring rare beauties and the clever use of the more commonplace. Unique topiary hedges, oversized wooden steps, platforms, and pergolas provide definition and inspiration.

This large expansive country garden of contrasts has been a constantly developing labour of love for 25 years. It features numerous interesting elements ranging from contemporary twists to traditional aspects.

Paripuma is a large 20 year old garden developed from a barren, windswept beachfront; and based around a formal design and vista across Cloudy Bay.

Butler Point hosts a secluded waterfront garden which is the legacy of retired whaler, Capt. William Butler and the second owner Hubert Dacre. Present owners have been in residence since 1972. A traditional cottage garden surrounds the old house (1840s) which is open to visit. It sits between the harbour edge and a bank of native bush.

TOTARA WATERS is a 2 acre subtropical garden set on the upper Waitemata Harbour. Development began in 1999 by Peter and Jocelyn Coyle, whereby extensive planting of rare and unusual plants have been included in the garden.

The Sky Tower peeking over the palms is the only hint of urban life in Mark van Kaathoven’s dense if diminutive rainforest in Freemans Bay, just 10 minutes’ walk from the central city. Skinks scurry up palm trunks and the chirrups of small green frogs harmonise with birdsong in a backyard that is teeming with life.

Italy is the inspiration behind this grand formal garden, with its statues and fountains, and Corinthian columns reminiscent of Tivoli. Brick walls and hornbeam hedges create many garden rooms, featuring old fashioned roses, citrus, lavender and olives, alongside an English orangery.

At just 5 minutes’ drive from the CBD is a garden in the country which is anything but a country garden. You won’t find beds of cottage flowers or rows of box hedge but you will be enchanted by winding paths through the native bush walk full of contrasting foliage, with extensive collections of Hosta, drifts of Clivia, many different Maples, Bromeliad & garden art throughout.

Nestled in the vineyard five hundred metres away from her sister garden Welton House, is Eliza’s which, after a decade of carefully thought out restoration, is ready and open for garden visitors. But better still - stay overnight in the award winning three bedroom cottage and enjoy the garden and swimming pool in total privacy.