Woodlands Garden

This developing woodland garden is a very natural setting where leaf fall and avoidance of chemicals allows it to mature without time being spent in formalizing or manicuring in any way. Woodlands grew from shelter trees initially planted in the late 1980s to protect house milk cows and their calves. Now with a general mix of northern hemisphere deciduous trees interspersed with conifers, this four hectare (10-acre) site includes a woodlot of eucalypts and another of pines both of which can be walked through. There is also a small stand of North American oaks and a younger planting being left to develop its own way, from seed sourced from Eastwoodhill.

Woodlands is an unpretentious and predominantly green garden, relying on the changing seasons for colour. There is a small bog planting, with drifts of hostas, rodgersias, and colchiums, which are also available for sale. A feature attraction in this woodland garden is a historic dirt-floor Riley totara slab cottage and a slab hut from pioneer days is being reconstructed. Rob Green is well known for his superb timber craftsmanship, selling small cheeseboards and making “green” eco-coffins to order. Plans for Woodlands include continuing to prune the trees, limbing them up to form a canopy, and adding more underplanting.

Other woodland gardens worth visiting in Kimbolton include Friars Glencolyn across the road, Woodland Grange along the road, Heritage Park, 3 minutes up the road, and Cross Hills a 5-minute drive up the road.

Directions:

From SH 1, take SH 54 to Cheltenham. Turn left into Kimbolton Rd. Travel 14km to Kimbolton village, then turn left into Grammar Street to WoodlandGardens on left. Or from Palmerston North, travel north to Feilding and take Kimbolton Rd north. Then as above to Woodlands Garden.