Wairarapa Garden Tour 2022 – Pūkaha’s major fundraiser
Photos contributed by wairarapagardentour.co.nz
Spring is a wonderful time of year to get outside, see new sights and re-energise in nature. The weather’s usually a little warmer, the sun is out for longer and there is new life bursting forth in gardens all across the region. It’s also a chance for garden-lovers to rejoice with the annual Wairarapa Garden Tour that raises funds for Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre.
2022 marks 12 years of Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre’s much-loved annual fundraiser – the Wairarapa Garden Tour.
This two-day, self-drive garden tour will feature 15 beautiful and unique gardens in South Wairarapa. Sure to delight gardeners of all ages, we’re excited to be bringing you some firm favourites along with some new gardens that haven’t been on the tour before.
As always, the tour aims to offer plenty of variety: gardens for small spaces, sustainable edibles, natives, ornamentals, rural homestead gardens and urban designs.
Pick your gardens and choose your route according to whatever tickles your gardening fancy. The tour offers 15 private gardens (not usually open to the public) to choose from. Gardens are revealed in the lead-up to tour weekend.
Locally-sourced and home-made refreshments will be available in selected gardens and BYO picnics are welcome in some gardens.
Three gardens have been revealed so far:
AIG AN TAIGH FARMSTAY, Martinborough
This large country estate comes complete with stunning vistas cleverly extended with a ha-ha. Mature trees planted over 20 years ago provide a woodland full of oaks, hornbeam, birch, ash, elm, liquid amber, and plane trees complementing the pin oaks lining the drive.
LONGBUSH COTTAGE, Longbush
Luke at Longbush continues to throw everything into the garden, opening new garden rooms for 2022 and once again hosting his tulip festival the first weekend in October – what a sight we are going to be looking forward to with over 6000 tulips in bloom!
RICHMOND GARDENS, Carterton
The garden is expertly planted to reflect the renaissance gardens of Europe, creating a peaceful relaxing garden that invites visitors to walk and explore. One of the secrets to the harmony and sense of tranquillity of Richmond Garden is the use of evergreens and only a handful of varieties of deciduous European trees. The bronze fountain at the end pool is a replica of one in Madrid. Europe really has found a home in Carterton.
“The Wairarapa Garden Tour is such a lovely way to spend a weekend in the region, and an event that Pūkaha is proud to have initiated eleven years ago. It’s our national wildlife centre’s major annual fundraiser. We’re so grateful to our gardeners for opening their gates to support our conservation work at Mt Bruce. It’s a real community effort – from gardeners to volunteers and of course a growing audience of garden lovers,” says Emily Court, general manager of Pūkaha.
Visit Wairarapa Garden Tour for ticketing and further details about the 2021 event.