At The White Horse Inn you’ll find our youngest gardener. An ambitious and passionate plants-woman, Michelle Irons and her handy-husband-with-a-digger Stu, have transformed a flat grassed urban section into an artful arrangement of colourful and productive garden spaces.

Dursley Garden was designed in 1916 by Alfred Buxton. Known then as Te Rangi Pai, it became Dursley Garden in the 1930s. Lovingly tended since 1972, Judith Callaghan is its chief gardener.

Tarata is a two hectare woodland style garden named after the lemonwoods – Tarata – that owners Grant and Adrienne planted for shelter 25 years ago.

Taking in a collection of small buildings and around one hectare of land, Tina Mansfield and Andy Cassells were drawn to Totara Cottage’s gardening potential, especially the mature native trees and the variety of birds they sheltered.

Take a bare plot of land on a hillside in Eketahuna, add plenty of horse manure to enrich the soil then wait for the worms to work their magic. Next, apply a healthy dose of resourcefulness by upcycling old farm materials to create garden structure, and you have a recipe for the Lambert’s ‘Summer House Garden’.

Developed over the last nine years by Erica Kinder, this colourful flower lover’s garden boasts poppies, peonies, irises, around 100 roses, organic produce and a cute vintage themed potting shed.

The Holbrook family have bold plans to convert their 2.46 hectare farmland paddocks into an organic food forest and flower farm. Planting began in earnest in 2016 with visionary Heidi at the helm.

Over 35 years Awariki (little river) has evolved from an old farm cottage into a family home and ornamental garden with stunning specimen trees. Paper birches line the driveway of David and Lesley Marsh’s five-hectare lifestyle block.

Fourteen years ago Phil Keinzley had a vision to turn four hectares of farmland into a native tree garden to bring the birds, insects and eels to his land.

Over 19 years Brett Harman has channelled his creativity into a unique one and a quarter acre section on the edge of Carterton. His gardening and house-building journey were recognised nationally when he won the TV competition ‘My house My Castle’ in 2004.

This small 800 square metre garden packs a punch. Though small in area, it’s grand in stature and finds space for a series of themed rooms ranging in style from colonial to contemporary.

Casita Flora is a stunning example of bold, structural plantings. Owner Juliet Guerrero says when it comes to her gardening style, ‘diversity is what she’s all about.’