In message , Sacha
writes
On 11/2/09 13:59, in article , "Tom
Withycombe" wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
I had a very kind email about our web site this morning from a 'neighbour'
in Ashburton, NZ! She sent me a link to a fantastic garden there which
unhappily, we didn't know about at the time. It may be a bit of
inspirational cheer for urglers waiting for their own gardens to wake up:
http://www.trotts.co.nz/

Thanks for this Sacha. It also served to remind me to ask you for a
couple of recommendations of gardens to visit in NZ - ones that you
found particularly interesting during your trip. We're going there on
holiday for most of Nov & Dec this year. Not visiting friends or
relations, just on holiday. We plan to visit from Stewart Is. to the top
of North Island. Any suggestions welcome .... hope this isn't too much
OT.

Many thanks.

Tom, I'm rather ashamed to say that we didn't do any garden visits as such.
For possibly the first time in his life, Ray didn't want even a hint of a
busman's holiday! But we saw plenty of private gardens of the places we
stayed in because like you, we were just holidaying and driving ourselves
around. These ranged from a property in about 48 acres to some with quarter
of an acre or less, lovingly planted and looked after. One, in Wanaka, had
a stream rushing through the garden with ducks and their ducklings on it.
In a sense, the whole place is a garden because of the gorgeous things
growing wild, especially tree ferns in the North Island and in parts of the
South Island. And if you go to Milford Sound look out for the lupins
growing wild on the side of the river bed on the road up from Te Anau. It's
the most fantastic sight and scent. On the Wilmot Pass going to Doubtful
Sound there are wonderful banks of ferns and mosses which I'd love to have
been able to cut out and bring home. As to other suggestions, may I email
you with some of our experiences and travels?

Thank you Sacha. Quite understandable on Ray's part .... a holiday is
supposed to be just that; a relief from the normal grind.

Basically our plans a into Christchurch drive South - Stewart
Island, all the places in the SW of SI that you mention - up the West
coast - Picton - then N. Island. Chris (Senior Management) is very
"into" gardening and gardens and I do the labouring! She is mainly
involved in herbaceous and I shrubs and trees. We both love wildflowers
(Norway is great for Lupins too - so similar in topography to West of S.
Island) and I am v. keen on ornithology. So we hope both to enjoy the
trip (and wine).

Your experiences would be most helpful and we are very grateful for your
kind offer to E-mail us. The address shown above is accurate if you
remove the obvious Invalid. Any particular recommendations on B&B or
hotels would be especially welcome.

Again - many thanks.
--
Tom Withycombe
Milck House
Dorset/UK