Puketarata Garden (Private)
Puketarata, approximately 1 1/2 acres in size, sits on the brow of a northerly facing hill with views of inland Taranaki NE up the Mangemange river valley towards Lake Rotokare and NW to Mt. Taranaki. The home was built in the early 1980s and the garden evolved around this. A large lawn adjacent to the house, on the northerly side for warmth and privacy, has been used for family games. The grass tennis court on a level below the house is connected by a haha (a turfed ditch with one side sloping and the other, vertical and faced with timber). A small orchard area underplanted with mainly daffodils, vegetable and herb garden area and more fruit trees and berry house can be found behind the home. The gully below the house was fenced off in 1978 and has been systematically planted ever since with a mix of natives, deciduous trees and rhododendrons which can be viewed from the haha and tracks in the gully area. There is now a QEII covenant on the gully.
The garden planting is a mix of natives, rhododendrons, roses, some usual and some unusual garden shrubs and perennials. The garden, which settles comfortably into the landscape, has an emphasis on greens and texture rather than all- round colour.
Puketarata is part of the Taranaki Regional Council possum poisoning programme and maintains bait and traps for rats. This together with abundant food has substantially increased the native bird life particularly tui, bell birds and keruru. The garden and house are adjacent to the Puketarata Pa, one of the many pa in this area. It was constructed some 400 years ago and evidence of the trenches, house sites are still visible.
Opening Hours and Tariffs
Open by appointment and during the Taranaki Garden Festival
Adults $10
Contact Details and Location
Physical Address: 14 Ngawhini Rd, Hawera
Phone: 06 2783081
Email: info@puketaratagarden.co.nz
Website: http://puketaratagarden.co.nz
Facilities and Amenities
Children Welcome
