A unique garden that includes olive grove, beautiful bush walks, subtropical pond gardens, rose walk and a sequence of three formally designed terrace gardens below the relocated villa, each of which relates to a destinct aspect of the great garden design tradition translated into the New Zealand context. The gardens are set right at the foot of majestic bush covered Mt. Tamahunga in the picturesque winegrowing Matakana region. Visitors are invited to sit on the verandah with an excellent coffee, sample our olive oil and enjoy the view over the terrace gardens and the beautiful surrounding rural view down Big Omaha Valley road.
"Glorious Villa Tamahunga Garden"... Art News New Zealand, Winter 2007.
Garden Visits
Open First Sunday of every month October-April 10:00am-4:00pm. Also open on Sundays of public holiday weekends. Other times by prior appointment.
Admission Adults $8.00 (includes olive oil tasting). Coffee/ tea and cake extra charge.
There are approximately 300 trees in the grove. Manzillo is the variety used for pickling, both in brine and by dry curing in salt. The oil varieties are primarilly J5 types, Koroneiki (Greece), Frantoio and Leccino (Italy), and Picual (Spain). Most of the oil is pressed on the property using the New Zealand made Aquarius oil press and is avaliable for tasting and sale.