Become a Trust Member
Register your Garden
Become a part of our Trust's garden legacy: showcase your expertise, benefit from our marketing activities and exclusive features, and receive professional recognition. Secure your spot by the end of July and let your garden shine.
We have two membership types - Garden Membership and Collections Membership.
Celebrate your Garden's Brilliance by Joining our Trust Membership.
Garden Membership
Our assessment ensures consistent standards in design, planting, and maintenance. Enjoy benefits like a dedicated webpage, marketing services, conference access, and regular updates. Gardens are assessed annually with a July registration deadline and re-evaluated every three years. Register below for our team to connect with you
Collections Membership
This is for members who do not have a garden to open to the public - instead you may have a collection of plants you would like to share seasonally or year round. Enjoy benefits like a dedicated webpage, marketing services, conference access, and regular updates. Collections are verified rather than assessed. Register below for our team to connect with you
Professional Recognition:
Your garden will be acknowledged for its design, planting expertise, and maintenance.
Promotional Services:
Showcase your garden's unique beauty and features on a dedicated page within our platform. Have us market directly on your behalf.
Exclusive Access:
Attend our conferences, gaining insights and networking opportunities.
Resources:
Get access to a wealth of resources and insights, empowering you to nurture and showcase your garden's full potential.
Become an NZ Gardens Trust Garden Member.
To initiate your assessment application, please proceed with the assessment payment. Once completed, you'll receive the comprehensive application form via email to continue the process.
To Register please click the “apply” button below. You will then be prompted to complete a short form and then process through to checkout.
Embark on a journey of recognition and distinction with the NZ Gardens Trust. Your one-time fee of $100 ensures a meticulous review of your application followed by a comprehensive garden assessment. Our team of horticultural experts will evaluate your garden's presentation, design, and plantsmanship, ensuring it aligns with the esteemed standards of the Trust. This fee is an investment in elevating your garden's status, opening doors to a myriad of benefits and opportunities within the NZ Gardens Trust community. Join us in celebrating and promoting the very best of New Zealand's horticultural excellence.
**Please be aware that the application fee is non-refundable and does not ensure automatic inclusion in the NZ Gardens Trust. This fee encompasses the evaluation of your application and subsequent garden assessment.
Become an NZ Gardens Trust Collections Member.
To initiate your assessment application, please proceed with the assessment payment. Once completed, you'll receive the comprehensive application form via email to continue the process.
To Register please click the “apply” button below. You will then be prompted to complete a short form and then process through to checkout.
Embark on a journey of recognition and distinction with the NZ Gardens Trust. Your one-time fee of $100 ensures a meticulous review of your application followed by the verification and confirmation of your application. Our team of horticultural experts will evaluate your application and evidence, ensuring it aligns with the standards of the Trust. This fee is an investment in elevating your garden's status, opening doors to a myriad of benefits and opportunities within the NZ Gardens Trust community. Join us in celebrating and promoting the very best of New Zealand's horticultural excellence.
**Please be aware that the application fee is non-refundable and does not ensure automatic inclusion in the NZ Gardens Trust. This fee encompasses the evaluation of your application and subsequent collection verification.
Sandra Ross, Director Ross Garden Tours
“Thanks to the New Zealand Gardens Trust for a fantastic website to give us a ‘heads up’ on what gardens should be included in any garden tour.
It’s incredibly helpful to know that these gardens have been assessed by experts, and only the very best selected for inclusion.
And of course, it covers the whole country. Congratulations and a huge thank you! Kiwi gardens are the best anywhere … we love them!”
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
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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.
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An NZ Gardens Trust 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.
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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 provides membership with the Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture, complete with its official journal and regular NZGT updates.
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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.
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Your garden will ideally be available to open to the public and presented to its assessed standard for at least 4 days each year. For example during a Garden Festival or Charity fund-raising and/or by appointment to individual visitors. For a Six Star garden the expectations are higher.
Quality Gardens
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Trusted Ratings
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Unique Garden Varieties & Experiences
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Quality Gardens ● Trusted Ratings ● Unique Garden Varieties & Experiences ●
NZ Gardens Trust Registered Member Resources
Once your garden or collection has been accepted then you can sign up to access our member resources portal. An access point for comprehensive resources on NZ Gardens Trust, sustainability, essential documentation, expert insights, and more.
Dive in and enrich your gardening journey with us!
Please note that you need to be a registered NZ Gardens Trust garden or collection to access these resources.
Any questions or issues please
contact us here.