Larnach Castle & Gardens

Larnach Castle Garden has been selected as a Garden of National Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust and is a private garden open to the general public.

Host and head gardener is Margaret Barker, and it has been her personal creation over the past 40 years.

The plantings have been designed to complement the building and add a unique Southern Hemisphere feel to the grounds. Her vision for a South Seas garden stems from a long-term interest in New Zealand native plants and their relationships to their cousins in other southern countries.

In spring, a fiery display of Azaeleas blaze in front of the Ballroom, while rhododendrons sprinkle the garden, and the Laburnum Arch flower in late November. In summer, giant lilies (Cardiocrinums) turn the Rainforest Garden into a scented and visual delight. The Serpentine Herbaceous Walk with its rose strewn trellis-work overflows with colour.

With the onset of autumn, the Heather Garden blooms, complementing the autumn foliage and bringing a distinctly Scottish mood to the Castle. The autumn Crocus (Colchicums) line the Great Arch and hide amongst the Azaeleas. In winter you can appreciate the layout of the garden and also find a few brave flowers putting on their best faces. Snowdrops signal winter's end and the cycle starts again...

Check out some of the other Gardens & Parks you could visit.