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Whakapuni Station

Steeped in history this 90+ year-old garden has had input from five generations of McLeods, and now Bridget and Andrew Mathewson have added much much more since purchasing the property in 2008.

2409 White Rock Road
Tuturumuri

BYO picnicToilet availableWheelchair accessible

The sentinel California Redwoods planted in the 1930s stand proudly at the entranceway to the station homestead. This entrance was once flanked by impressive white gates, said to have been built in commemoration of the Queen’s inaugural visit to New Zealand in 1953. One of these gates has been repurposed into the garden. The huge date palm that dominates the front of the family home was planted in the 1960s and is quite a feature of the station’s history.

In this beautiful example of a country station, the generations of gardeners show in various sections of the gardens. Bridget has added to this established garden by extending the back lawn where an opening in the hornbeam hedge invites you through an avenue of cypress trees and out to the lawns, ha-ha border and pond with wetland planting.

Formal gardens include roses, hydrangeas, delphiniums, lavenders and peonies all set within borders of buxus and teucrium, and modern topiaries and sculptures are incorporated into the new courtyard landscaping around the house.

The new planting is expected to reach maturity in the next 5 years with more formal hedging, topiary and blending of country cottage and traditional English gardens to continue – we can’t wait to watch this garden grow!

GALLERY