Today we leave Christchurch and visit 2 gardens on the way to Oamaru – Broadfield Gardens and Trotts Garden.
BROADFIELD GARDENS
The owner, David Hobbs, talked with us for a minute about the garden. It is about 7 acres and is maintained by him and 2 helpers for a total of 80 hours a week: (After you see these pictures you won’t believe it.)
I followed David Hobbs around for awhile because I could tell he was very knowledgeable; he knew all the botanical names and all the stories about the plants. In this next video he was talking about the hedges behind him. He called it Podocarp but the botanical name is Podocarpus nivalis. Another one that he uses here is P. totara:
In this video he told the landscape designer that he wanted a garden that 1 person could maintain. Notice that we all laughed at that:
The border he created is made up of all New Zealand native plants:
He was talking about the 2011 earthquake and the video missed the beginning. The earthquake happened at 3 AM and when he came out to this pond at 8 AM all the goldfish were on the lawn!
David built little ladders for the rabbits and possums that fell into the ponds so he wouldn’t have to bury them when they drowned:
In the perennial garden he was talking about his organization of work:
He is talking about Sunset Norway Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Sunset’) in this next video:
David dug a canal in his garden for a pool and didn’t know where to put the soil. Since his garden is completely flat he decided to make a mound that people could climb and see the garden. This video shows the spiral path that goes up to the top.
Rhododendron garden:
Deciduous Azaleas:
Rose Garden:
Perennial garden:
Vegetable garden:
Lawns and hedges:
Interesting plants:
Siberian Iris and Euphorbia
Bergenia cv.
Lupine hybrid
Silene sp.
David Hobbs, the owner, says he has to make a decision in the next 3-5 years of what to do with his garden. His sons are not interested in taking over so he either has to sell or give it away to a nonprofit organization that would maintain the garden for public access. This is a hard decision for a person who has spent most of his life building and maintaining this garden.
TROTTS GARDEN
Entry drive:
This garden is famous for its intricate hedges:
Dovecotes:
Red garden:
Lawns:
Interesting Plants:
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia cv. )
Rhododendron cv.
Goldenchain Tree (Laburnum watereri)
Persicaria bistorta
Russell Lupines
Weigela florida cv.
False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosa)
