The NZ Gardens Trust (NZGT) is a charitable trust established in 2004 by New Zealand's only national horticultural body, the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture (RNZIH), to assess gardens for the public to visit.

• Promote our distinctive NZ Gardens Trust gardens to national and international tour groups and visitors.

• Promote excellence in gardening. Promote the benefits of gardens and gardening.

• Provide the ‘go-to’ resource for discovering distinctive gardens

• Use a robust system of assessment that guarantees a quality visitor experience.

• Maintain and develop relationships with industry-related entities such as Tourism New Zealand and RNZIH.

• Promote collegiality and educational opportunities for members.

• Deliver our highly anticipated annual conference for members.

• Broaden our garden categories to include more diverse gardens and collections.

An NZGT garden is assessed to a standard identified for the public through the star rating system. The garden must be open to the public and presented to its assessed standard for a reasonable number of days each year (eg during a Garden Festival or Charity fund-raising) and/or by appointment to individual visitors for a cumulative period of two months in the year.

NZGT members are welcome to arrange to visit other NZGT gardens. Part of belonging is collegiality.

NZGT prides itself on upholding the highest standards in garden presentation, design, and plantsmanship in New Zealand, with gardens meticulously assessed by industry experts. Membership with NZGT is a prestigious distinction, offering members exclusive benefits such as participation in annual conferences, networking opportunities, educational sessions, unique garden visits, and plant-sharing events. Additionally, members receive a dedicated listing on the NZGT website, access to robust marketing tools, and inclusion in a community recognized by both local and overseas tourism entities. This membership also encompasses affiliation with the Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture, complete with its official journal and regular NZGT updates.

All gardens are assessed. Our team of assessors visit NZGT gardens across the country during late October/ November. Garden owners are advised of their results in January and garden details and images are then added to the website directory. After the initial assessment, gardens are re-assessed 3-yearly.