We spent about 5 hours today visiting the 12 gardens (plus the Waikanae Bowling Club) included in this year’s Super Garden Trail.  They ranged from small to extensive and all should have had features that visitors were able to get inspiration from.

Without wanting to seem parochial, we thought the two best gardens were in our immediate neighbourhood at 15 Hurunui Street and 39 Manu Grove.  In fact the latter is definitely as good as some city Botanic Gardens that we have seen.

When we visited the last garden in our itinerary at about 3 pm we were told that we were their visitors 670+671.  Assuming the weekend saw 1,000 tickets sold, then over $20,000 will have been raised for the Free Ambulance Service and Arthritis NZ.

6 Alexander Street.  This contained a few trees rarely seen in NZ such as cork, fig and macadamia nut. It has a stream containing whitebait and eels flowing through it with two footbridges. There are several copper ornaments featured (an example in the second pic) made by an artist in Lower Hutt.

15 Hurunui Street.  This has a rare stand of Kohekohe trees and a lot of mature native bush.

35 Kohekohe Road

39 Manu Grove – very impressive.

42 Ngarara Road

43 Tui Crescent

248 Te Moana Road

364 Te Moana Road.  This covers a big area with a lot of big mature trees, which of course are a feature of the eastern half of Te Moana Road and add status and value to properties in it. The jacaranda tree with the mauve flowers is iconic of Los Angeles and they line many streets there.