The Complete Garden Country Bus tours are a festival highlight; always a sell-out and popular with both locals and visitors.  The 2009 Bus Tours are showcasing five superb gardens in the Geraldine area. 

"Stover' in Gaelic means "green meadows" and the garden lives up to its name with pleasant green areas providing restful places to sit and enjoy the views.  The garden has been developed over 30 years to enhance views of Mt Peel and the Four Peaks and Mt Hutt ranges.  Within the garden you'll find large trees, a formal brick area, rose beds and a meandering creek.  Plant supports and other garden equipment  by Gilbert and Sue Murdoch of Ashburton will be on display and for sale.

Wander along the boardwalk, over the stream and take a moment to enjoy the view in one of the many seated areas in the garden.  Mature, English trees have provided an ideal canopy under which to plant rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas.  Take time to investigate the farm workers' "smoko room" that has been relocated in the garden.  It's home to a pictorial display of the floods, gales and snowfalls that have struck the garden over the years.

This garden was developed 12 years ago to complement a new house built atop a hill overlooking the Canterbury foothills and plains.  Sweeping lawns to the north of the house lead the eye to the expansive views of the mountains.  Neighbouring mature and regenerating native bush provides a tranquil backdrop to this two-acre garden that includes a large variety of roses along with rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias.  Trimmed hedges and perennial borders complete the picture.

When the Kemps moved to the Geraldine Downs 21 years ago it was the painstaking restoration of their 1905 house that was the priority.  But about 10 years ago, they moved outside into what was then an almost non-existent garden.  Today, it's vibrant with rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas in the spring and roses and more flowering shrubs delighting the eye in summer.  Now the owners can sit back and smell the roses! 

Established in 1927, this two-acre English garden is defined by original hedges, may deciduous trees (including unusual topiary pin oaks) and a huge manna gum.  Roses abound in the extensive herbaceous borders and clamber over nets and railings. Visitors can also enjoy a woodland walk, a rockery path and a yellow and white formal rose garden. The garden has recently been extended into an adjacent paddock with established pine trees providing a canopy for newly planted rhododendrons and companion plants.

Bus Tour Ticket $55 (includes picnic lunch and morning tea) Advance booking essential.
Friday 27 November and Saturday 28 November

Friday and Saturday bus tours leaving from Caroline Bay Hall at 9am and returning at 5pm.

Timaru City Limits Garden Walks

 Tickets $18 (or $4 per garden payable at the gate) An $18 ticket also includes entry to the Roses on the Bay Market Day on Sunday, 29 November.

 The gardens are open from 10am – 5pm, Friday 27 November and Saturday 28 November for self-drive tours.

Behind walls and hedges or down long driveways lie many well-loved Timaru district gardens.

It’s truly one of life’s pleasures - spending an afternoon strolling around gorgeous gardens.  There’s something to appeal to everyone in this year’s selection of properties and you are certain to find inspiration aplenty for your own garden haven.

So grab a map from the Timaru i-SITE and drive yourself and a friend around some of Timaru’s hidden treasures.

NEW!  This year several of the gardens will feature displays of work by local artists and craftspeople.

Brian and Priscilla Maclaurin 184 Le Cren Street

Since purchasing their property 23 years ago, the Maclaurins have redesigned their garden to add a touch of formality.  Heritage, bush and climbing roses are treasured features, as are camellias, rhododendrons and clematis. A host of perennials, including salvia and euphorbia, add to the profusion of plants. The Maclaurins strive to garden organically, making their own compost and wherever possible trying to avoid the use of chemical poisons.

Rachel Garden and David Carr 23 Bidwill Street

A recently discovered passion for gardening has led Rachel, with David’s assistance, to completely redesign this formal inner-city garden.  Advice from treasured and experienced gardening friends has been well received and helped to create an enchanting space certain to provide inspiration to the city gardener.  A century-old European beech tree is a feature of the garden.

Pottery by Ali Guy of Timaru will be on display and for sale.

Barbara and Murray MacKay 204A Otipua Road

A well established large garden, the Mackays’ property has a lovely rural outlook and features stone walls to create terraced areas.  It contains large rhododendrons, camellias, maples and flowering cherries combined with beautiful roses, as well as natives and perennials.  There is a water feature and on the south side a woodland area.

Hypertufa garden art and pots will be on display and for sale.

Colin and Judy Blakemore 7 Gladstone Road

This park-like garden is studded with mature trees, including elm, oak and beech. Colin, who has worked with plants since childhood, has relished the opportunity to develop this large property, which contains many horticultural treasures such as Persian witch hazel, proteas and camellias. There are two ponds and seats have been strategically placed to provide visitors with peaceful spots to rest and enjoy the garden vistas.

 ‘Wire Art’ by Tekapo’s John and Lynda van Beek will be on display and for sale.

Ian and Jude Middleton 331 Gleniti Road, Hadlow

A country garden with views from mountains to the sea.  The garden has a variety of plantings from formal to casual including a crab apple espalier wall and climbers rambling over old buildings.  The tree-lined driveway is a delight with flowering cherries underplanted with agapanthus.  Visitors are welcome to make suggestions for areas marked “Work in Progress”!

Paintings by Susie Ruddenklau of Wanaka will be on display and for sale.