Gardens Hamilton, New Zealand

Hamilton Gardens Introduction

Hamilton Gardens are located at the southern end of Hamilton City, alongside State Highway 1. Our beautiful gardens have been substantially developed since the early 1980s over an old city refuse site.

Independent surveys of Hamilton Gardens indicate that there are more than 1.3 million visits to Hamilton Gardens each year, over half of them tourists, which makes our New Zealand gardens the most popular visitor attraction in the region.

Hamilton Gardens in New Zealand is not a traditional botanic garden with conventional plant collections. The theme of our garden attraction in Hamilton is "to promote the appreciation and understanding of gardens, their history, context and meaning".

This theme is addressed through a wide range of different types of gardens at our Hamilton attraction. Some of the more popular features are: a Chinese Scholar's Garden, Indian Char Bagh Garden, Japanese Garden of Contemplation, Italian Renaissance Garden, English Flower Garden, a Modernist Garden, Victorian Flower Garden, Herb Garden, large Kitchen Garden and the Roger's Rose Garden.

Around every corner there is something new to discover at Hamilton Gardens in New Zealand.

Hamilton Gardens Collections

The unique theme of our New Zealand gardens is 'the story of gardens' which is explored through a series of five garden collections:

The Paradise Garden Collection – featuring gardens representing some of the most significant garden design traditions.

The Productive Garden Collection – representing different aspects of the relationship between people and plants.

The Fantasy Garden Collection – explores how gardeners have been inspired by different forms of fantasy.

The Cultivar Garden Collection – featuring the story of plants selected and bred for the garden.

The Landscape Garden Collection – with areas representing the different historic interpretations of an idealised landscape.

Hamilton Gardens Opening Hours

Hamilton Gardens is open every day during daylight hours and entry is free.

The Information Centre and on-site Cafe at Hamilton Gardens are both open every day from 9 am till 5 pm.

Guided tours of our New Zealand gardens can be pre-arranged and tours for special interests or different languages are available. The price is NZ$5 per person with discounts applying for groups of 20 or more.

Hamilton Gardens Seasonal Features

The following guide is subject to seasonal variations:

January – February – The Rogers Rose Garden, Dahlia displays beside the Governors' Lawn, Herb Garden, Italian Renaissance Garden, English Flower Garden and Summer bedding in the Victorian Flower Garden.

March – April – Rogers Rose Garden, Dahlia and Chrysanthemum displays beside the Governors' Lawn, Display Houses in the Victorian Flower Garden.

May – June – Autumn foliage, Temperate House and Cactus House in the Victorian Flower Garden. Also look out for the Camellia Walk and berrying shrubs.

July – August – Hammond Camellia Garden, The Greenhouses in the Victorian Flower Garden, Rhododendron Lawn, Magnolias in the Bussaco Woodland.

September – October – Hammond Camellia Garden, Rhododendron Lawn, Daffodils on the Hillside Lawn, Kitchen Garden.

November – December – Rogers Rose Garden (Look for the new trial roses to be judged in late November), English Flower Garden, Italian Renaissance Garden, Kitchen Garden, Herb Garden, Perfume Garden, bedding displays in the Victorian Flower Garden.

For further information about Hamilton Gardens in New Zealand, please contact us or visit our gardens in Hamilton Web site.

About the Waikato Region

In the Waikato the view is dominated by the serenity of the Waikato River and the rich rolling green of productive farmland. The main centre is Hamilton—a city that serves the thriving farming and university community.

The mighty Waikato river is best experienced from the deck of a classic paddle steamer. While the world passes by, an interesting commentary will tell you about local landmarks, the history of the region and riverbank life.

Hamilton is famous for its themed gardens, and the local zoo which has the largest free flight aviary in the Southern Hemisphere—an excellent chance to find out about New Zealand's distinctive native birds. The southern end of Hamilton's main street offers an excellent choice of restaurants, cafes and bars.

River life in Hamilton City:

• Wander around Hamilton Gardens, stunning themed gardens on the banks of the Waikato river
• Visit Hamilton Zoo, a wildlife conservation park with a giant free flight aviary
• The Waikato Museum of Contemporary Art and History has a wide range of art and Maori heritage exhibits

In the Waitomo area, south of Hamilton, there's a natural labyrinth to discover. Massive subterranean caverns are adorned with stalactites and stalagmites—formations that have been millions of years in the making. Visitors can glide through the darkness on a water-borne barge and admire the beauty and deep silence of the cave where the glowworms overhead give the effect of an eerie underground sky.

For further information about Hamilton Gardens in New Zealand, please contact us or visit our gardens in Hamilton Web site.