Dunvegan
Tucked into the Wairarapa countryside, Dunvegan is a garden shaped by over four decades of quiet determination and a love of colour.
Named after the ancestral seat of Clan MacLeod on the Isle of Skye, Dunvegan reflects a strong connection to heritage and a deep personal journey in the landscape.
Dunvegan
1562 State Highway 2
Kiriwhakapapa



Small market stalls, food & drink,
Mt Bruce Hall just down the road has toilets.
Diane Wyeth has been gardening here since 1980. When she and her family arrived, the house sat in a small fenced enclosure with a scattering of shrubs across the lawn.
That soon changed and as the chief lawnmower, Diane quickly began moving plants into shrubberies and perimeter beds to simplify the mowing. Fences were pushed outward to make room for new plantings, including a foray into espaliered fruit trees in the orchard.
The garden has grown and evolved, shaped by trial and error, and a practical, no-fuss love of plants. Diane describes her garden style as a bit of a “hotchpotch”, planting with a vision of colour and vibrancy. Cuttings are planted wherever there’s room. If something thrives, it stays; if not, it goes.
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After 45 years, the garden continues to change. Some earlier plantings have been removed, leaving gaps and stories in their place. The vision remains focused on creating something increasingly manageable, though Diane admits that “anything that flowers and fruits” inevitably requires effort, and she’s not ready to give that up.
Visitors will find a little bit of everything: a mix of informal plantings, hardy survivors, edible treasures, and evidence of ongoing projects. Above all, Dunvegan is a place of joy, where time in the fresh air and hands in the soil remain as satisfying as ever.