Canterbury Springtime Gardens & Hanmer Springs Fete

On arrival in Christchurch we drive north through Waipara to lunch with Penny Zino at Flaxmere Farm, Hawarden a  six star Garden of International Significance. Penny has devoted 50 years to creating this beautiful seven acre garden on a terraced riverbed.

Later in the day we continue through the Hurunui farmlands to Hanmer Springs, our home for two nights. We dine out this evening.

• Private lunch with Penny Zino at her Flaxmere Farm

• Arrive at the pretty alpine village of Hanmer Springs

After a leisurely start at Hanmer this morning we explore three very different farm gardens of the Hurunui – visiting Doreen and Michael Dryden at Loch Leaven, enjoying a picnic lunch with Vicki Collett and Andrew Dalzell at Coldstream and meeting Anita and Richard Todd at Saddlewood, 

In the afternoon we return to Hanmer in plenty of time to enjoy a soak in the hot pools or check out the boutique shops.

• Visit the farmhouse gardens of the Hurunui district

• There’s time to take a relaxing soak in the famous hot springs

Relax and enjoy this one day event – the Hanmer Springs Fete. In the leafy grounds of the historic Princess Mary Hospital browse the stalls, including fine arts and crafts, local wine and food. South Islanders like to use the Fete to shop early for Christmas and this is the perfect place to get started. 

In the mid afternoon we travel down the Canterbury Plains to Methven where we stay two nights and dine in at Ski Time Lodge.

• Check out the stalls and lunch on local produce at the Fete

• Drive Canterbury’s country roads and travel over wide, braided rivers

We visit Sara and Paul Grigg’s lovely garden at Surrey Hills Station nestled in the foothills of the Southern Alps. Carol and Donald Williamson’s Coniston Gardens features a lake and woodland gardens along with vintage, classic cars and farm machinery collections.

We join Ian and Di Mackenzie for lunch at Akaunui, their 118 year old farm homestead set in magnificent gardens. Relax and enjoy country hospitality. We return to Methven and dine in this evening.

• See vintage, classic cars and farm machinery collections at Coniston Gardens

• Akaunui Farm – enjoy a private lunch at this mid-Canterbury farm homestead

We leave the Canterbury Plains for the hills of Banks Peninsula to lunch with John and Lesley at Blythcliffe in Akaroa. Built in 1857, the architecture and expansive garden reflects its history.

Later we meet Josie Martin at Giant’s House, a six star garden of International Significance that’s alive with Josie’s sculptural mosaics. This unique garden is always a highlight. We stay two nights at the Akaroa Village Inn on the waterfront and dine out both evenings.

• Lunch at historic Blythcliffe House in Akaroa

• The quirky, colourful sculptures at The Giant’s House

We drive over the other side of the Peninsula to Fishermans Bay to meet Richard and Jill Simpson who have created a stunning garden along a dramatic clifftop with a variety of planting themes.

We lunch with Kathrine Fraser at historic Coombe Farm in Takamatua Valley established by early French settlers. Then return to Akaroa in time to wander this pretty village with French connections and dine along the waterfront.

• Richard and Jill Simpson’s clifftop garden at Fishermans Bay

• Lunch with Kathrine Fraser at historic Coombe Farm

We meet meet Jos and Stew Howden at their Potter’s Croft garden in Akaroa. Then sample the cheeses at Barry’s Bay Traditional Cheese shop before returning over the hill to Little River and visit the Gallery.

We take Gebbes Pass to Governors Bay for lunch at superb Ohinetahi Garden, galleries and sculptures, a six star Garden of International Significance. It’s just a short distance to Christchurch Airport for our late afternoon flight.

• Jos and Stew Howden’s Potter’s Croft garden

• Historic Ohinetahi Homestead and Garden