A Cool Green Woodland
A cool green and white woodland beguiles its visitors and leads them to a native habitat, newly created especially for...
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Garden and Art Trail
Gardening is indisputably an art form. A garden plot can be considered an individual piece of art with a tale to tell of inspirational urges and labours of love that culminate in sensory delight.
And so it is with the gardens we showcase on our Bay of Plenty trail. We would not have such an impressive garden festival without our participating gardeners’ gracious invitations to visit their private domains and view their creativity.
Bayleys Real Estate continues to be our Festival Partner and the Garden and Art Trail is to brought us again by Palmers Garden Centre Bethlehem. While you are out and about on the trail make sure you pop in to see all our friends at Palmers Bethlehem!
What Will You See?
The trail spans from Katikati to Te Puke with all gardens open to explore on all four festival days. Our festival boasts a myriad of delights from small urban gardens to large rolling country gardens – many are new to the festival but rest assured, old favourites have returned too.
Adding to the offering are art stops along the way. In some cases there is the opportunity to see artists working from their own studios. Matching artists with gardens is what makes this garden trail unique. Local and national artists are displaying a wide variety of artwork in several different mediums.
Ticket Passes
The Garden and Art Trail is accessible to festival pass holders. Two ticket types will be available for the 2022 festival. A one-day ticket will get you to all gardens on the trail For one day only – you can choose that day, but once you are on the trail, this ticket will become invalid for any other day. A multi-day festival pass will allow you to see all gardens on all days of the festival. There’s the chance to organise a solid day of whistle-stop viewing or enjoy a more leisurely journey around the gardens over multiple days. Access to Bloom in the Bay, our festival hub is free with a festival pass.
TRAIL OPENING TIMES FOR 2022 FESTIVAL:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday 9.30am – 5.00pm and Sunday 9.30am – 3.00pm
The Festival Gardens
2020 saw over 65 garden and art stops on the trail, check out some of the highlights below.
Festival packs for the 2022 Festival will go on sale around April 2022 – just in time for Mothers day!
Coastal Garden
This 30-year-old coastal garden is a treat for the senses. There’s fragrance to stimulate, pops of colour and the sound...
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Boutique Nursery
This splendid garden has mature tress and shrubs with shady woodland areas, sunny borders with perennials, roses and topiary throughout....
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Micro Garden
This contemporary micro garden includes an eclectic mix of bromeliads, natives and tropical plants. Wander through a secluded courtyard, embellished...
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Hidden Paths
This medium-sized garden is divided into rooms, each reflecting a different style. Keep an eye out for hidden paths that...
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Bursting with Colour
This vibrant garden is bursting with colourful displays of foliage and flowers under a 90-year-old copper beech tree. There is...
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Rose Enthusiast’s Delight
A traditional quarter-acre garden is a rose enthusiast’s delight with 110 named varieties to admire. The backyard is a step...
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Cottage-style
This expansive cottage-style garden is in three sections. Large trees provide an oasis of shade on the lush grass looking...
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Semi Tropical
So much to delight at this semi tropical garden featuring a pond, lush green plants (some of which are rare),...
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Relax & Ponder
This is an architectural garden (structures and sculptures) with defined outdoor rooms and lots of little discovery moments. This garden...
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English-Style
This English-style home and half acre garden incorporates both formal and informal outdoor living spaces. Pergola covered terraces support roses,...
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Private Sanctuary
The Green Room is an extension of the townhouse at this address. An easy care sheltered space provides a private...
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Rustic Edge
Starting from a blank canvas, the two designed it together. It is a compact, colourful garden with a rustic edge...
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Inner-City Garden
Our semi-contemporary inner-city garden is layered with buxus and camellia hedging with a modern water feature and mature trees. The...
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Country Oasis
A country oasis awaits, with a cottage garden with roses and perennials in a gorgeous country setting. Soak up the...
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Natives & Exotics
The Omahanui garden flows around 3 historic cottages and features a range of interesting native plant species blended with exotic...
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Vibrant Colour
This colourful garden features several rooms that take you from suburbia, through New Zealand and Australian natives, around a stone...
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Kowhai Grove
This is a rustic garden with upcycled old gates featuring a Kowhai grove. Explore the piece of native bush, along...
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Quirky & Fun
An enchanting garden which is forever changing. Discover new plantings, bold pots, different animals, and intriguing features. Creative upcycling makes...
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Harbour Views
Stunning harbour views will take your breath away as you wander through this garden just off the water’s edge. Stones, driftwood,...
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Green Oasis
Egret is a quiet green oasis looking out to Rangatua Bay. A generous courtyard is strongly influenced by the designs...
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Rome Inspired
The Italian Renaissance garden of Villa Lante in Rome was the inspiration for this garden. Geometric design, a water feature...
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Peaceful Park-like Garden
Behold a large park-like garden of 1.5 acres on a sloping section with mature trees and floriferous borders of perennials,...
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Soak it up!
A new garden including amazing entertaining areas featuring a pizza oven, fire place, swimming pool and dining area. There’s a...
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Enchanting
An enchanting garden expertly combining formal with rambling cottage. The stunning entertaining area boasts an outdoor fire nestled under a...
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Tranquil Sanctuary
This garden showcases how a small suburban site can provide a tranquil and appealing sanctuary. Where once was weeds is...
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Orchard Garden
A small avocado orchard over 3.5 acres with hard landscaping, and large 10-year-old par- like trees can be found at...
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Eclectic in the City
This eclectic city garden packs a lot of punch for a small space. Set amongst many succulents you’ll find a...
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Charm All Around
Charm abounds at this formal garden with private courtyard, water feature and raised potager veggie patch. Interior design accessories and...
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Myriad of Plantings
A rich variety of textures and exciting colour combinations give this established garden a contemporary edge and an element of...
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Tropical & Edible
This garden takes you on a journey weaving through different rooms… one for every taste. Areas include a formal lawn...
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Urban Garden
Framed by a beautiful backdrop of water/estuary views, this urban garden is made up of multiple spaces and provides plenty...
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Tropical & Lush
This is a garden of surprises! Created some 20 years ago with passion and foresight, it’s now established and fully...
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Parkland Setting
This garden and home covers three acres within a parkland setting. It comprises both formal and informal gardens and special...
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Sweeping Views
This half-acre block has gorgeous views sweeping over Tauranga and The Mount. Check out the lush greenery with pops of...
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Banks Full of Colour
Meander down through the avocado grove to an informal garden with natural bush, bushwalks and a bridge over a shady...
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A Rural Acre
This semi-formal rural garden spreads out over an acre of land, with sweeping lawns surrounded by established trees, with mass...
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Natural Bushland
Enter this natural bushland to feel as if you are miles away from the hustle of city life. Lush punga...
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Collectors Paradise
Overlooking the Te Puna wetland, this mature garden of nearly 30 years is a plant collectors’ paradise where unusual trees...
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Rambling Cottage Style Garden
A rambling cottage-style garden with an emphasis on bright colours. Red bougainvillea cascades over the front of the house. The...
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Delight in the Country
A sparkling stream through mature native bush meanders through this large country garden creating ponds on the way. The many...
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Transformation
Four years ago this property was just grazing paddocks. It has now been transformed into a garden park with beautiful...
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Park Garden
Holly Grove garden is a one hectare established formal garden. Featured on arrival is a grove of English deciduous trees...
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Iris Lovers
Showcasing NZ’s biggest collection of Irises. Take in the vibrant pops of colours from Japanese and Siberian Irises and many...
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French Dream
Villa Vie gardens are reminiscent of a French country Villa estate, with a large lagoon-like pond and natural river encircling...
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Water & Mountain Views
Take in the water and mountain views from this tropical garden with its mature palms and giant birds of paradise....
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Something Tiny
This hide-away in the natural wilderness, features unique Tiny Houses that inspire a less complicated lifestyle. It features a waterfall...
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A Quiet Oasis
A quiet green oasis on the edge of Fantail Reserve looking out to Rangatua Bay. A generous courtyard is strongly...
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Urban garden with a big heart
An urban freestyle garden that is full of colour and soul. The garden has a rambling cottage garden vibe, spray...
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Piece of Paradise
A mature rural garden that invokes a feeling of relaxation and peacefulness due to trees and shrubs having room to...
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Paula Knight Artist
Exotically vibrant coastal paintings are set off to perfection by her bright beach bach and established garden. Outdoor areas spill...
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Native Retreat
This delightful country coastal garden has bountiful views of Mauao. These grounds are bursting with roses and flowers with mature...
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Subtropical
Subtropical garden in the heart of Greerton. This property shows just how you can transform a small urban home into...
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Eclectic in the city
A natural eclectic garden in the heart of the city. Many of the plants and palms began life in other...
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Rustic Interest
A five-year old garden developed into rooms consisting of a fernery, white formal room, orchard, tropical, ponds and lovely lawn...
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A Florists Dream
A floral artists picking garden on a sloping section over several levels. Pathways and steps meander through a fully planted...
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Views in the country
A large country garden with beautiful harbour views and sweeping lawns down to the waterfront. Large established trees frame the...
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Retreat out of town
This is a garden that has been lovingly developed over 40 years. Creative plantings of mostly foliage and topiary in...
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Siesta Garden
Over 46 years of love has been poured into this large cottage garden with everything being planted by the owner....
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A Rambling Cottage Garden
This Country Cottage garden has panoramic views out to Matakana Island and along the Kaimai range. This garden boasts rambling...
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