NZ: Hamilton Gardens

Hamilton is the city where my mum and step-dad live and, other that Auckland with sis&co, was my base. It’s not a bad base, being fairly central on the North Island, but it does have a reputation as a bit of a dullsville. And, to be honest, that’s a fairly fair thing to say (even though it was where Richard O’Brien came up with the Rocky Horror Show). But given the awesome nature of what surrounds it that wasn’t a problem and it does have its gems such as the Hamilton Gardens.

These are basically a big park with a number of themed bits in the middle, specifically the “Paradise Gardens” comprising:

• the Chinese Scholars Garden
• the English Flower Garden
• the Japanese Garden of Contemplation
• the American Modernist Garden
• the Italian Renaissance Garden
• the Indian Char Bagh Garden

Should I have been surprised that they were really good? I’m not sure. But they were. A real gem.

The photos, they be here.