Stroll through the Hamilton Gardens and take a walk across three different continents. Offering some of the world’s most diverse gardening traditions, these fantastic floral spaces will astound and inspire visitors of all ages.
The Paradise Collection is arguably one of Hamilton Gardens’ most popular attractions. Spanning a staggering 58 hectares, the collection includes a variety of local plants, a perfume garden and roses. Hamilton Gardens is eclectic mix of old new, bringing together some of the best designs from throughout history. From the American Modernist Garden with its elegant water features and precisely trimmed hedge rows to the classical ornate sculptures of the Italian Renaissance Garden, visitors will walk across history in this paradise of floral design. The earliest examples of garden design can be found in the Chinese Scholars Garden with its carefully crafted hedgerows, floral patches and Chinese pavilions. The Productive Collection is a great way to learn about sustainable gardening and features a working kitchen as an example of how the average family can make their garden productive and timeless.This collection also includes the Te Parapara, the country’s first garden dedicated to the Māori. This fantastic display showcases a variety of plants that are of cultural and agricultural significance to the people of New Zealand. Find a perfume garden in the Fantasy Collection or head towards the Cultivar Collection for a truly stunning display of roses, and witness the bursting colour of the rhododendron lawn. In the centre of the garden is a beautifully crafted pavilion, home to the Hamilton Gardens Café. Here, visitors can buy a variety of snacks and meals after a long day perusing the floral displays. Visitors can download a map from the Hamilton Gardens website and take self-guided tour or hop aboard the Waikato River Explorer, which departs from the gardens. This 90-minute cruise offers spectacular views, especially during the autumn when the floral displays are at their best.The Hamilton Gardens are free to enter and can be located near to the city centre. Regular events run all year round and picnickers are always welcome.
