Summerfield Garden
Summerfield Garden is true to its name, coming into its own in the summer months. While much of the Wairarapa starts to dry off, Summerfield thrives with the gift of extra rainfall. This generosity of nature means plants continue to grow and bloom, making the garden a vibrant, living space through the warmer months.
Watching the garden awaken after winter is a great joy to Di and Gary, the owners of this garden. With each season bringing something new, a fresh bloom, an unexpected combination, a quiet transformation.
Summerfield Garden
54 Kiriwhakapapa Road
Opaki, Kiriwhakapapa
Small market stalls, food & drink,
Mt Bruce Hall just down the road has toilets.
When Di and Gary purchased the property in 1989, it was largely lawn with a few small garden areas, exposed to the relentless wind. A row of towering old pines lined one side of the property, and the highlight was a paddock of daffodils at the bottom of the front lawn. Over the years, more daffodils have been added and now every September, they light up the garden in a glorious sea of yellow, a favourite sight for the owners.
Di and Gary’s vision was to create a cottage-style garden filled with herbaceous borders and perennials. To begin with shelterbelts were planted, a necessity for this exposed site. Slowly, over time, different areas were established from collected cuttings and divisions from family, friends, and anyone kind enough to share. Every plant has a story, a history, and many are deeply sentimental.
Di and Gary have persevered through hard work, both physical and emotionally, learning from mistakes, and despite the challenges, have joy in seeing their efforts bloom into something beautiful.
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Driven by sustainability, aesthetics and new energy, an old shelterbelt has been replaced with natives. Old roses, shrubs, and trees have been cut back to make space for a growing collection of dahlias. Their vibrant colours and generous blooms make them perfect for picking, something Di values.
The garden is informal and relaxed, a take on the cottage style, unmanicured, full of colour, texture, and flowers. It’s a place of abundance, where there’s always something to pick and plenty to share.
Visitors will find a joyful, flower-filled garden with fruit and veggies. It’s a space to simply enjoy the beauty, especially the rich colour and lushness of summer. Above all, the sense of the care behind it brings a little joy and inspiration to their day.
GALLERY
