Eight new gardens join the 2021 garden tour. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED
This year the Wairarapa Garden Tour tour will showcase gardens mainly in and around Masterton. The route stretches from northwest Carterton through to Rangitumau, Opaki and Homebush. The tour is self-drive and will showcase a diverse mix of private gardens not usually open to the public.
Last year the event sold out – despite the ups and downs of covid-19. “While we can attribute the popularity of the 2020 garden tour to a renewed interest in gardening generally,” organiser Rachael Dell said. “It’s also a sign of the times with more Kiwis home and supporting local events.
There seems to be a real appetite for all things gardening at the moment – with many a ‘lockdown garden project’ helping to enthuse people to reimagine their backyards,” said Dell.
The 2021 tour will feature a mix of gardens including contemporary designs for urban and rural spaces, dry-loving plantings, an expansive formal rural garden, whimsical perennials, flowers galore in town and country and a 40-year-old garden reclaimed from farm paddocks.
“The beauty of attending a local garden tour [apart from gaining inspiration and learning from knowledgeable gardeners] is the chance to see what grows well in Wairarapa’s climate.”
Eight new gardens will join the tour this year. Several of these have never opened to the public before. Returning favourites Kinder Garden and Tarata will feature too.
There’ll be delicious refreshments in selected gardens, along with gardening treats and plants to buy. The tour has a zero waste kaupapa and supports local.
“The Wairarapa Garden Tour is such a lovely way to spend a weekend in the region, and an event that Pukaha is proud to have initiated eleven years ago. It’s our national wildlife centre’s major annual fundraiser.
“We’re so grateful to our gardeners for opening their gates to support our conservation work at Mt Bruce. It’s a real community effort – from gardeners to volunteers and of course a growing audience of garden lovers,” said Emily Court, general manager of Pukaha.
- Tickets and more information are available at www.wairarapagardentour.co.nz
