Walled Garden Tours

Events > Garden Tours

When we are in a position to reinstate tours, we can facilitate small to medium sized groups.  Our tour guide outlines the history of the Victorian Walled Gardens and talks about our specific planting in our sensory trails, herbaceous border and therapy beds which are designed to engage the senses and improve personal wellbeing.

Groups of people come from active retired associations, community groups and gardening clubs. Our wooden chalets are provided as a space to eat at lunchtime providing we can comply with social distancing.  Alternatively you can relax outside and enjoy the beautiful and peaceful surroundings.

  

Your Tour Guide will take you around the “Walled Garden” which has been restored to match many of the features and layouts from when the Plunket Family owned the Estate back circa 1780.  The walls around the Festina Lente garden are the original walls from 1780’s. Some additional features have been added by Festina Lente over the years and plants are regularly updated. 

More Info:

  • Your guide will give you a historical background of the walled garden and its features.
  • Feature Water Fountain
  • Perfumed Climbing Roses and hundreds of other beautiful plants
  • A Sensory Integration Trail recently created on the south and north facing walls with water feature
  • Rolling lawns
  • Pool Gardens, now a sanctuary for terrapins
  • Plant Nursery; here you will see where we grow hundreds of plants that are propagated and then planted in our seasonal flower borders throughout the year
  • Walk along a truly colourful herbaceous border that surround the large number of Community Garden Allotments.
  • Your guide will also give you background details as to the work that has been carried out to date by Festina Lente and what we hope to achieve in the future.
  • You can also sit back and relax in our Gardens, enjoy light snacks from our snackbar – tea, coffee, cold drinks, snacks, etc.  Food such as baked goods like cakes must be pre–ordered with us. 
  • Why not add an extra dimension to your day out, choose one of two workshops for your tour group.
  • Kitchen Gardening:  An informative Workshop showing you how to plant and cultivate a kitchen garden with practical demonstrations and plants to bring home.
  • Plant Workshop:  Learn to choose plants that will create an interesting garden all year round.  Learn to propagate from cuttings.  Plant material to take home will be included.

If you are interested in booking a tour of Festina Lente please contact us below to organise a date and time for your group, and we will endeavour to make your experience a memorable one.