Queenstown

On our last day of the New Zealand garden tour we saw the Chanticler Garden and A Wild Dream Garden. We drove along Lake Wakatipu and then I rode the Gondola to the top to get sweeping views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu.

CHANTICLER GARDEN

This garden is about 12 acres on a 40 acre sheep farm. The owner said that this was his retirement project.

The owner raises sheep, llamas/alpacas and deer:

The entry drive is Liquidambar and Hawthorn (Crataegus) trees:

Along the driveway is planted a mass of purple Tulips:

Also along the entry, these English Lavenders will give a lot of color in a month or two:

The owner planted over 1000 Rhododendrons in Chantecler and they all are blooming now:

The plants are planted close so there are few weeds:

Hosta and Pachysandra

Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

Columbine (Aquilegia)

Giant Sierra Redwood is planted by the grandchildren’s fort by the former owners:

Through the gate to a lot of lawns:

The owner planted 30,000 Daffodils here:

Peonies:

Water features:

Planting around the house:

Swimming pool area:

Feeding the llamas/alpacas:

A WILD DREAM GARDEN

Eucalyptus staircase:

Animals:

Plants:

The garden is mostly a jumble of plants with no organization. In these photos you may see roses, Columbine, Hosta, lilies, flax. It is hard to tell what is a weed from what is not.

45th Parallel:

The house:

A skilled craftsman owns this house and now rents it out as a B&B.

LAKE WAKATIPU

This is a narrow zig zag lake that is over 50 miles long. Queenstown is located on it with a lot of water sports available. But when you travel away from Queenstown as in these photos, there is not a boat in sight. It is very serene.

QUEENSTOWN

Gondola ride:

This is the end of the New Zealand garden tour with HPSO. I hope you have enjoyed the 4 weeks of traveling seeing gardens and beautiful scenery in New Zealand. If you are interested in seeing gardens all around the world check out HPSO at:

hardyplantsociety.org

I will be posting blogs about once a month featuring Dawn Gardens in Grass Valley, CA. See my website for further information about Dawn Gardens at: dawn-gardens.com

Barry Friesen

Dawn Gardens

14446 Perimeter Rd.

Grass Valley, CA 95949

barry@dawn-gardens.com

dawn-gardens.com

One Comment Add yours

  1. Louise says:

    The NZ landscape and the spacious, stunning gardens you have presented very beautifully in detail seem so tranquil and peaceful; such a heavenly place apart from the rest of the world.

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