Hello Sacha

In article ,
Sacha wrote:
For his birthday present Ray is being given two tickets to NZ (and back!)
from my son and his wife. We'll probably go in January of next year, even
though his birthday is next month. I've never been there but Ray went to NZ
about 15 or so years ago but by now there must be other, or more highly
developed, gardens. Has anyone got any particular recommendations? We
won't be seeing gardens only but obviously, those will be a major
attraction for us! We intend to drive ourselves, as and where the whim
takes us but I want to start planning with the aid of online maps, some of
which show specific driving tours. I want, also, to get him some books
appropriate to the gardens of NZ, so again, any suggestions will be most
welcome.

My wife and I had 4 weeks in New Zealand travelling with a mixture of public
transport and 2 car hires one in North Island and one in South Island. We did
not visit any "private" gardens, but quite a lot of public ones. There is
limit to how much guidance we can give, because we went in October ie late
Spring whilst you are planning to go near to mid Summer.

One thing we would recommend if you are both fit enough is a conducted walk
up the Hooker valley on the East Side of Mount Cook starting from the
Hermitage Hotel at Mount Cook Village to the glacier lake. The views are
spectacular, and the botany fascinating.

One thing that I think will disappoint you is the number of British wild
flowers that got out to New Zealand with grass seed and are naturalised
there.

If you want thoughts on any of the Botanic gardens just ask.

John

--
John Rye
Hadleigh IPSWICH England
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/jrye/index.html
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