G3 Weekend Away to Rotorua

28-29 July 2012

Garden of John and Marian Sandrey

Waikite Valley

Rotorua

I think we all felt relieved that the sun was shining on Saturday 28^th July as we drove to our first garden on our Inaugural G3 weekend away.  We had been warned by our hostess to bring warm clothes and we were pleased that we had followed her advice as there was a distinct chill in the air.

We met Marian in the driveway and she explained that her family had been in the Waikite Valley for 45 years and in this property for 35 years.  The garden was testament to this with hundreds of large specimen trees providing the back bone of this lovely property.  From the massive silver birches in the entrance way to a rare poplar tree on the hill and a cherry tree that was grown for its distinct bronze bark, there were many wonderful specimens.

Hellebore bank

We started with a walk down the long driveway, admiring the bank of pastel shaded hellebores, perfectly positioned so that their shy nodding heads could be viewed from below.

Maple waterfall

Then we followed an outer path upward past the massive poplar and maple waterfall and up through woodlands passing by Marian’s many special artistic touches. Marian told us how she would often keep items recycled from the farm until the perfect spot for them could be found.  These became garden art with thoughtful placement and much consideration.  A series of interconnecting inner and outer paths joined the many distinct areas in this garden which was on a grand scale of approximately 4 acres of gardens and woodlands.

We had a lot of ground to cover and had we felt the need to rest we could easily have done so on one of the 15 seats around the garden. Marian did joke that she rarely sat on any of them. The garden was immaculately groomed with neat lawns and edges and not a weed in sight. It was easy to see that Marian and her husband both worked very hard and did not have much time for rest. Marian said her husband John was very helpful in the garden, with one of his main jobs being the lawn, which took around five hours to mow!

Highlights of the garden for me were the wonderful trees, so sculptural in winter and the hellebores and woodland areas.  Also popular amongst the G3ers was the silver birch glade, Keri loved this and comments were made about how it would be a great spot for wedding photos.  Michelle enjoyed the formal element of the buxus hedging close to the house, leading up the stairs to a white seat in the shadow of a rolling hill.  We all enjoyed the sunny deck looking down on the valley as we stopped to admire photos of the garden taken in autumn with spectacular colours and commented on how we would love to come again to see it in a different season.

We finished our tour with hot drinks and scones and had time to ask our hostess many questions while we looked out at the rockery visible from the lounge window.  

Next stop was a lakeside picnic before we made our way to our 2^nd garden of the day.
Paula

Our second garden was that of Pam Montgomery. She lived across the valley and had a garden which had a lovely calm atmosphere in the dappled afternoon light.

Vicki grew up nearby and Pam is an old family friend, so she introduced us as Pam emerged in the driveway.

We started with a meander through the edibles. Donna would have loved it. There was a glorious urn with thyme draping over its edges, and all sorts of unusual little plants – even saffron! Her soil was uncovered in a portion of the dug-up garden and it was remarkable for the small ball bearings of pumice littered throughout it.

We ambled around the path skirting the bottom of the section, through sweet smelling Daphne, violets, climbers, ponga and large kowhai, and popped up at the far end of the garden. The view out over the valley was lovely and we were again grateful for the sun in what must be a bitterly cold place on a ferocious day.

Pam had some lovely mature ornamental trees and a pergola which drew the eye towards the home. Two swans shaped out of lonicera stood sentinel next to a step onto the lawn. One of the most striking features was a hedge made of a plant on which the leaves turn brown but cling until new growth emerges. The spectacle of a brown hedge in winter was really striking. There were other shaped bushes around the property, a bird bath, a massive hedge of buxus which in one corner was more than a metre wide and an ivy ball Pam made by sitting one hanging basket-shape on top of another.

Inside, a sumptuous cinnamon pinwheel-type cake beckoned. These ladies were so generous!!

And it was over a cuppa where we learned all about Pam’s late blossoming as an artist. When her children left home, she figured she better find herself a new focus. So she enrolled in fifth form art by correspondence. Soon she was studying art fulltime at the local polytechnic, and now she is an artist in demand – continually fulfilling commissions, many of which are for local farmers who ask her to paint the rolling hills they call home.

The chats with the gardeners are one of the most loved parts of our rambles.

Pam says her painting informs her gardening. On a crisp, clear Waikite day, it’s easy to see how her inspiring garden may also play a role in bringing her art to life.

Keri