Discover the country gardens of the Waikato, Hawkes Bay, Northern Wairarapa and Manawatu. Stay in Masterton and Feilding, both winners of town beauty contests, and enjoy the fun of the fair at Cross Hills Gardens.

Highlights

• Meet local gardening personalities
• Visit historic Gwavas Homestead and garden, Tikokino
• The farm garden at Braemore in Eketahuna
• Guided tour of Brancepeth historic homestead
• Charming Feilding and its historic sale yards
• Lynne Atkin’s lovely Greenhaugh Gardens
• Attend the Cross Hills Gardens Country Fair
• Ailsa & Carey Sanson’s Parkwood Garden
• Lunch with Debbie and Fraser at Crosshills Farm

Departure Dates:

16 November 2026

Day 1:  Auckland - Hamilton - Taupo
Wander the “garden rooms” at Hamilton Gardens before we continue to Tamahere to lunch with Jeanette and Stephen Williams at lovely Moondance Manor at their expansive garden above the Waikato River. We stay at the Millennium Hotel & Resort Manuels on Taupo’s lakeside and dine in this evening.

Day 2:  Taupo - Napier - Masterton
We call into forested Waipahihi Botanical Gardens, created from scratch by volunteers. Continuing to Hawke's Bay, we lunch at Sawyers Arms, Tikokino.  We stay two nights in Masterton at the Copthorne Hotel & Resort, Solway Park and dine in this evening.

Day 3:  Brancepeth & Te Parae Homesteads, Wainuioru - Masterton
We visit the Wool Museum then meet Edward Beetham for morning tea. He guides us through Brancepeth his family’s homestead, gardens and farm buildings dating back to the 1850s. We lunch nearby with Angela Williams at Te Parae homestead which shares family history with Brancepeth.

Day 4:  Masterton - Braemore Farm- Villa Candotti - Feilding
In Eketahuna we visit Warren and Robyn Walker’s Braemore Garden. On the Saddle Road Te Apiti wind farm’s turbines stretch along the ridge. We lunch with Peter and Jeanette Cranstoun’s Villa Candotti, an Italian Renaissance inspired garden they have created from bare sheep paddocks. We visit Dugald MacKenzie rose garden and stay two nights at South Street West Motel, Feilding.

Day 5:   Longwood Gardens - Stonebridge Country Estate - Chatswood -Feilding 
In Feilding a local farmer guides us through the historic sale yards as the auctions begin. We lunch with Margaret Soong, an artist, at Stonebridge Country Estate set in woodlands. Then at Chatswood Garden, Sandra Wilson will take us through her classic, formal English garden. Return to Feilding and dine out this evening.

Day 6:  Feilding - Cross Hills Country Fair - Turangi
Meet the volunteers who maintain Heritage Park Rhododendron Garden. The Cross Hills Gardens’ Country Fair is held in Rodney and Faith Wilson’s magnificent 7ha garden of 2000 rhododendrons and azaleas. We take the scenic Ruahine Road to Mangaweka and on to Turangi to stay at Tongariro Lodge and dine in.

Day 7:  Turangi- Aramatai Gardens - Crosshills Farm - Auckland
Stunning views are a feature of the scenic road from Turangi to Taumarunui. Colourful borders and a pond feature in Jill Mouat’s Aramatai Gardens near Te Kuiti. We lunch at Debbie and Fraser Robertson’s Crosshills Farm Garden and visit Chris and Bev Gatenby's unique TreeChurch in Ohaupo on the way to Auckland.

General Inclusions

• All transport by comfortable, air conditioned coach (maximum of 18 travellers).
• Services of your knowledgeable MoaTours guide.
• Quality accommodation chosen for a “sense of place".