1 Mar '07 7:41 pm I had the pleasure of visiting this garden recently .The owners and tenders are a lovely couple who came from Holland in 1959 to make their home here in NZ .Hard-working farmers ,it was not until they retired a few years ago that they had time to indulge their passion for growing beautiful flowers -In Spring ,daffodils ,then roses and in Summer ,dahlias ,exhibiting successfully at shows .These photos are taken in late Summer ,when plants are past their best ,but you can get an idea how spectacular the garden is when in full bloom .They generously agreed for me to return next November when the roses stop people in their tracks.
The first photo is taken from their home looking towards the roofs of the town outskirts.
Dixie.
1 Mar '07 8:12 pm Graham Thomas has grown HOW tall? My goodness! Wow! He must be in his element. The rose books always warn us in New Zealand that David Austin's English roses grow somewhat larger than their official size. But That GT is certainly a GT of roses!
Liza
gardening consultant
Waterloo, Belgium
1 Mar '07 10:38 pm An exceptional experience , dear Dixie! Thank you for sharing it with us! How I would love to be with you! Lovely work done by this couple! That brilliant red Hibiscus Sinensis, provoked in me such homesick feelings for the Greek Islands , where he becomes about 12 feet (:2 meters)tall, and is often used for hedging , playing the most exciting contrast with the brilliant white houses and brilliant blue doors-windows.. I have always been so attached to this plant, bringing two oldies with me here from Greece, more than 12 years ago...
Anna
Gone to seed
Hamilton, New Zealand
6 Mar '07 11:42 am Lovely.
I can see I'm going to have to get a Graham Thomas.
moosey
head gardener
Graham Thomas
6 Mar '07 4:26 pm You'll have to explain to him that you'll settle for - say - two meters, and remind him not to drop his petals at the first puff of fresh New Zealand wind, hee hee.
Faith S
Perpetually learning gardener
Alabama, USA
7 Mar '07 3:37 am Dear Dixie, Thanks for sharing these photographs of this lovely farm. I too wish I could have been with you during the tour. Please post some pictures when you go back on November.
jacqueline
Thankful Gardener
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
11 Mar '07 4:57 am Wonderful pictures! Thanks for sharing, Dixie! Looking forward for next instalment year end!
