There’s so much to experience and enjoy during the Hurunui Garden Festival. We’re inviting you to join us for a long weekend in the inspirational private gardens in North Canterbury. Visit 14 very different gardens, an historic home visit and artist studios. Enjoy a day to attend the Hanmer Springs Fete, an exclusive North Canterbury shopping event. This tour includes accommodation, most meals, garden entries, and private transport for five days to all the country gardens.
Christchurch
9am
What to bring: suitable layered clothing, a warm jacket or coat, walking shoes, camera, shopping bags for plants and purchases.
Your own travel arrangements to Christchurch, pickups around Christchurch from 9am to travel to North Canterbury for two delightful Amberley Garden visits, enjoy a Waipara Valley winery lunch, before travelling to Hanmer Springs for a three-night stay.
After breakfast we will visit a Hanmer Springs town garden set in a private oasis, where bellbirds, tui and kereru are regular visitors. Today we also visit Coldstream Garden is a lush oasis with a stream flowing through this one-hectare garden with its series of interconnecting lawns, with mass plantings of daffodils, tulips, and peonies in flower. Plus, Hemingfield an artist’s garden, before travelling back to Hanmer Springs and dinner out tonight.
Enjoy a café breakfast in the heart of Hanmer Springs before attending the wonderful Hanmer Springs Fete. This is an exclusive shopping event with over 100 trade stalls, set in the spacious grounds of the former Queen Mary Hospital. You are free to enjoy the day in the thermal village town as you please, dinner with your group tonight.
After breakfast we will visit the well-known Flaxmere Garden and Saddlewood Garden plus gardens of Waipara Gorge including Iron Ridge Sculpture Quarry, before travelling to Amberley and dinner out tonight.
After a café breakfast we will visit a delightful Amberley Garden before travelling to Christchurch for a farewell lunch in a garden setting. Tour ends after lunch, with drop offs around the city or Christchurch Airport.
Your Hurunui Garden Festival Tour was all you advertised it would be and more! Quality meals, central clean accommodation, and access to beautiful gardens. Geoff was a great guide and was always punctual and helpful.
I look forward to traveling with South Island Tours in the future.
The trip was wonderful, as usual. I really enjoyed the gardens and Hanmer Fete, the weather was good to us and it was lovely to meet you and see your home. Thank you for organising another great trip and for the lovely morning tea. I ate far too much food on that trip!
Thankyou Lee and Geoff for a most memorable garden adventure. The properties and plant varieties were amazing. The peonies didn’t disappoint and I really enjoyed each gardeners personality showing in their landscaping and creative touches.
Your small group made it so comfortable for those of us travelling solo. Thankyou to Geoff for his thoughtful care for our comfort and safety
I loved the whole experience and hope to see you again
I’m missing my carefree days of touring the lovely Hurunui Gardens in our very comfortable bus, thank you Geoff for all the care and consideration you showed us it was very much appreciated.
My favourite garden was The Top Cottage I loved the layout of gardens and plantings, the ponds and fields, amazing sculptures and garden art was an added bonus.
I also enjoyed The Grange – The Geens – Flaxmere gardens in fact all the gardens we visited had their own points of interest so it’s very hard to choose one over the other.
I enjoyed the garden tour very much along with meeting so many other lovely garden enthusiasts, and travelling through the scenic hinterlands of Canterbury.
I really enjoyed our trip with Geoff and meeting you, especially the lovely morning tea.
I especially enjoyed touring around the countryside, as I come originally from Mid Canterbury, and have been involved in farming in one way or another for most of my life.
