Explore fabulous Springtime Wairarapa with Tranzit Coachlines’ new ‘Wairarapa Garden Gourmet Escape’. The tour has been designed for the enjoyment of gardeners and non-gardeners combining visits to two stunning private gardens, a pub lunch and wine tasting.
As the weather picks up and the gardens come back to life, it’s a great time to explore fabulous Springtime Wairarapa with Tranzit Coachlines’ new ‘Wairarapa Garden Gourmet Escape’.
The tour has been designed for the enjoyment of gardeners and non-gardeners alike, combining visits to two stunning private gardens, a pub lunch and wine tasting.
This is the only garden tour accessible by train in New Zealand, and gives an opportunity to admire the views not seen from the road as you travel through the Wairarapa Valley.
The first stop is Richmond Garden in Carterton. Richmond is unique in New Zealand and is endorsed by the NZ Gardens Trust as a ‘Garden of National Significance’. Morning tea - home-baking and hot coffee along with the attention of two delightful soft, grey schnausers makes for a very warm welcome.
Melanie and husband John have spent the last fifteen years renovating their historic house and are happy to share its life story. Equine paintings and gleaming saddles give a nod to the land’s former use as a racecourse.
The renaissance of the homestead and development of Richmond garden is impressive. Melanie has dedicated herself to creating a tranquil, formal garden in a style reminiscent of Italian gardens of the 16th and 17th century. Amazingly she has achieved this harmony and continuity by focusing on just five species: buxus, yew, beech, linden and hornbeam.
Melanie’s passion for topiary extends to her work trialling species for other New Zealand gardens, and currently work is underway on varieties to meet the demands of humid Auckland gardens. Quality buxus topiary has become much sought after and a single plant can command several thousand dollars. You can wander between the expertly clipped hedges that encircle the house and find a surprise at each turn. Take some time to experience the serenity that comes from a garden created with formal structure and attention to detail.
Alongside access to two very special gardens, the Tranzit Coachlines ‘Wairarapa Garden Gourmet Escape’ includes a wine tasting at a Gladstone vineyard and lunch at the Gladstone Inn, a favourite with locals. Lunch is served by a roaring fire in winter or in the riverside garden in summer.
The native plantings of Assisi Gardens, set high on a Gladstone hillside, are in complete contrast to Richmond Garden. Visitors walk a circuit around the intriguing semi-circular house of Andy and Cec Buchanan, members of one of Wairarapa’s oldest farming families. Their modern home is sited for the magnificent views across the valley. Trees, shrubs and grasses encompass the house and a short track takes you up the hillside behind, where there are lovely spots to sit awhile and admire the landscaping.
Andy has been responsible for some quite major earthworks and the property features a significant dam. The water is home to waterfowl year round and useful for irrigation during dry weather. Andy and Cec put in thousands of plants each year, and native birds flock to enjoy the fruits of their labour year round. Assisi Gardens is a ‘Garden of Regional Significance.’
The Tranzit Coachlines ‘Wairarapa Garden Gourmet Escape’ runs daily with a minimum of two passengers year round and can be joined in Wellington. New railway carriages are very comfortable and there are obvious advantages in not having to drive. Or, you can join the tour in Wairarapa. For more information: www.tranzit.co.nz.
The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.
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