Each year Hamilton Gardens attracts more than a million visitors, who come not for the plants but for the gardeners.
Hamilton Gardens explores the relationship between people and plants in 18 gardens, showcasing 4,000 years of gardening history from places as diverse as India, Italy, and China. Step back in time with traditional Māori, Egyptian, Tudor, and Italian Renaissance gardens, or take a conceptual leap into art-inspired conceptual and modernist gardens.
This collection explores the theme of paradise on earth. Interpretations range from orderly Japanese Zen and Chinese Scholars' gardens to a wilder but equally serene English Flower Garden, and the epitome of California cool with an American Modernist Garden.
Let the green fingers of your imagination run wild with Hamilton Garden’s epic fantasy collection. No visit is complete without a visit to the Surrealist Garden, a playful garden that feels a bit like stepping into the world of Alice in Wonderland. Another popular choice is Mansfield Garden, which recreates the garden of the wealthy colonial family described in Katherine Mansfield’s famous short story, ‘The Garden Party.’ And the spectacular Tudor Garden, celebrating the Tudors’ love of intricate designs, fantasy beasts, and secret symbols.
Discover how civilizations have cultivated crops with these remarkable vegetable and herb gardens from throughout history. Highlights include a traditional Māori garden, showcasing the skills required to produce tropical crops in a colder climate, and a Kitchen Garden, which recreates the productive gardens found on European estates in the grand 18th and 19th centuries. Along with contemporary sustainable and aromatic herb gardens.
Discover traditional gardens from around the world, featuring the award-winning Rogers Rose Garden, a garden dedicated solely to rhododendrons, and the epitome of sophistication in the Victorian Rose Garden.
Uncover the myriad ways plants shape landscapes, from enchanting woodlands and their winding pathways to peaceful cemeteries and beyond.
Hamilton Gardens offers a unique experience in every season. In summer, explore a flourishing traditional Māori garden and the timeless beauty of the English Flower Garden. Autumn transforms the Japanese Garden of Contemplation into a serene retreat with vibrant foliage. Winter showcases the elegance of the Italian Renaissance Garden, while spring brings a burst of colour to the Indian Charbagh Garden and the Rogers Rose Garden. The Victorian Flower Garden and the Rhododendron Lawn, dedicated solely to rhododendrons, reach their peak in September and October. Insider tip: their fragrance is strongest in early evening.
