From the lawn you can venture towards the sea and into the box-edged rose garden- each bed filled with a different rose- and enjoy the wonderful view down Lyttleton harbour. One wonders how the roses cope with the inevitable winds that come up the harbour but they are in wonderful health.
The harbour shimmers beyond the rose garden
A long axis form the far end of the rose garden back towards the lawn includes a rectangular pond and ends in a modern statue set between box mounds against the wall of the hedge.
In the opposite direction across the lawn pairs of fruit trees lead to a double herbaceous border which ends in an ogee shaped gazebo with views over a gully and into the native and exotic trees growing there. The borders are awash with colour, the tall spires of delphinium and the scent of roses contributing to the ambiance.
An ogee gazebo closes the view of the herbaceous borders
A cross axis at the beginning of the herbaceous border takes you to either the red garden enclosed in Oamaru stone walls or towards a suspended bridge which you enter through the most wonderful gothic arches.
The red garden was previously a white garden; Sir Miles Warren considered the white made little impact against the creamy walls.
Very formal, the red garden is drammatic against the creamy walls
The view across the garden, Ohinetahi
Rising up from the red garden is a belvedere, 'adding a verticality to the garden', says Sir Miles, and from which you can glean a wonderful view of the harbour and of the layout of the garden.
Steps at the far end of the red garden lead to another walk roughly parallel to the herbaceous borders, of hornbeam stilts. Beyond these, in season, are wonderful borders of peonies.
An obelisk ends the double peony borders and a metal sculpture hangs above
The arched bridge enables you to cross the steep gully and to explore the more natural styles garden that winds along its sides. Here hostas, rhododendrons and other shade loving plants shelter in the dappled shade of the large trees. A newer planting of natives, including a selection of hebes shows how our under-rated native flora can be used to stunning effect.
The standard of maintenance in the garden is enviable- the precisely clipped hedges, the health of the plants, the weed-free borders and the immaculate lawns- all are testament to the skill and hard work of an estimated two full-time equivalent gardeners- including Sir Miles himself.
The strong axis lines lead you through this garden, the views and statuary make each journey worthwhile. The structure underlying the design makes this a garden that is held together and is satisfying both as a whole and within each garden area.
Ohinetahi demonstrates quite clearly the benefits of strong, formal design over other more informal or haphazard garden development. The garden shows clearly the value of clean open spaces contrasted with more densely planted areas, the central lawn adding a tranquillity and ambience that would be sorely missed.
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