hamilton gardens

monday was my birthday, so nic and i both took the day off and did a roadtrip south to hamilton for the day. i specifically wanted to go to hamilton gardens as its been years since we visited.

even in its sleepy winter state, the gardens were a delight. and, despite cloudy skies, the rain mostly stayed away for the couple of hours we were there.

we were greeted at the entrance by this incredible earth blanket sculpture

nga uri o hinetuparimaunga (the earth blanket of hinetuparimaunga) is a symbol of protection, respect, and connection to the land. it's a collaborative effort between sculptor, chris booth and weaver, digger te kanawa. five huge columns of volcanic rock are adorned with te kahu o papatuanuku, a woven cloak made up of 13,000 pebbles.

once inside, we began our journey at the japanese gardens of contemplation

then made our way to the chinese scholars' garden

the winding paths and rough surfaces of this beautiful garden were designed intentionally to slow down our pace, encouraging us to savour each moment.

the modernist garden we visited next was quite the contrast!

born under the californian sun, this garden was meant to be a practical extension of the house into the backyard, built for sunshine and outdoor living.

next, the indian char bagh garden

inspired by the four gardens of paradise described in the quran. full of delightful symmetry and beautifully inviting pathways around the edge of the garden, leading us to the pavilion where another burbling fountain welcomed us to escape from the heat and bustle of a dusty north indian city.

then on to the garden of the princes and poets of renaissance italy

inspired by ancient myths, this garden has romantic statues, classic architecture and more

te parapara garden showcases history closer to home...

this garden embodies the deep traditions and early history of Māori (aotearoa / new zealand’s indigenous culture). it showcases traditional gardening skills and is the only productive garden of its kind.

then we travelled 4000 years back in time to ancient egypt

before travelling a path inhabited by characters from mozart's opera the magic flute

with sphinxes guarding the caves that signify the start of a story's journey, tamio, papgeno the bird catcher and the three portals representing vernunft (reason), weisheit (wisdom) and natur (nature).

there were other amazing gardens and spaces too!

even in the quiet of winter, when some of the gardens are asleep, the whole place is marvellous to explore. it's one of those places i would like to visit every season to get experience how each space changes.