October Event Government House Garden Tour Registrations Closed

October event | Government House | Epsom, Auckland | Thursday 26th October | 11am - 12.30pm  

Our October event is a visit to Government House in Epsom, Auckland. The Head Gardener will be leading us on a 1.5 hour guided tour of the gardens, which have been awarded 5 stars by The New Zealand Gardens Trust. Penny Cliffin will be talking about the notable trees. 

From The New Zealand Gardens Trust website: 

Exotic species of trees are increasingly complemented by trees and shrubs native to New Zealand. Some of the trees, which date from the 1870s, and the garden retains the lava outcrops and the original vegetation that were once a feature of the area. The house was built in 1921 by Sir Frank and Lady Mappin who spent 45 years combining the natural features of the site, existing trees and new plantings to develop the garden we see today.

The Mappins gifted the house and garden to the Crown in 1966 for use as a vice-regal residence. It is a permanent challenge to maintain the original character of the garden in a climate that encourages lush growth. Maintenance and development of the garden is under the direction of a management plan and a garden committee. Management goals are based on the recognition that the garden is a national treasure and seek to conserve its historical, botanical and design values.

Tours do not include the interior of the house. A good level of fitness and mobility is required as the grounds are 4.6ha with steep steps and rocky paths. Our group must stay together for security reasons.  

Numbers are strictly limited to 30. NO EXCEPTIONS. ID is required for all attendees and all names to be submitted before the event. Address details to be provided upon successful registration.  

There is no charge for this event.   

Priority will be given to GDSNZ financial members in the first instance and if, on 9th October, there are spaces available, registrations will open up to non-financial members. A waitlist will be created if registrations exceed spaces available. Should you miss out due to popularity, Ann from our events team is happy to organise another visit in 2024. Private tours can be arranged for groups of 6 or more by contacting Government house directly.

Registrations closed on Monday 9th October, 2023. A waitlist is operating. Depending on numbers a second visit may be organised in the future.