Paloma Gardens Feb 26th – 27th

Paloma Gardens     This was a fabulous experience and to think I wasn’t originally very keen to come. We stayed in what Rich had been calling ‘The Red Shed’, but which was in fact a beautiful little chalet set in the garden itself, with its own entrance and terrace with enough room for 2 chairs for sundowners. The 4 poster bed was another lovely surprise!

We spent the evening walking around the main garden area and the swimming pool, surrounded by plants but with just a few lilies one end. Clive is a real plantsman and has collections of plants from all over the world. The bamboo is amazing, such thickets of huge plants with paths running through them, and sculptures swimming overhead. He also has lots of agave and cactus, palms huge lobelia and some unusual lilies and all set around lawns and scambling paths up hill and down dale, making a really amazing garden, rather than a catalogue. He is very knowledgeable and loves to talk about the plants and where they come from and the conditions they need, but he also has a great sense of humour which is displayed in quotes and quirky objects and a real love of sculpture, large and small, which again become part of the garden.

It really is a must see if you are ever in New Zealand and have an interest in gardens. What you see here is only a tiny part of it. Clive and Nicky are now expanding across several old sheep pastures converting them into an Arboretum with a sculpture park and maze. Also Clive is in the process of creating a G.O.D (Garden of death) and already has several skulls and other bones in place as sculptures.

We had coffee with them in the morning before we set off and he was thrilled to hear there is someone else in NZ who is a bamboo enthusiast, Pete, and you are invited to visit!
Photos here.
We move on today (Monday 28th) from New Plymouth to a Farm Stay near Lake Taupo.  I doubt there will be any Internet access there as we will be in another "chalet in a field" type of accommodation. We have much posting to catch up on but will do so from Rotorua if and when we get the chance.