Name: Tea in My Garden - Garden Tours
Start: 2026-02-13T00:30:00+13:00
End: 2026-02-13T02:00:00+13:00
Location: Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House

Tea in My Garden
Join us for a delightful morning in nature! Explore four unique Waitaha (Canterbury) gardens, meet the gardeners, and enjoy a guided tour through their beautiful grounds.
SATURDAY 6 DECEMBER 202510.30am - 12pm
Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House
Step into the lush and vibrant past at Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House, an enchanting sanctuary where you'll find an intriguing blend of history and garden beauty. Explore the house, wander the gardens, and connect with the legacy Kate Sheppard cultivated.
Price: $35 ($45 Non-member) - includes Museum entry.
Address: 83 Clyde Road, Christchurch
FRIDAY 13 FEBRUARY 202610.30am - 12pm
Blue House Amberley
Escape to over an acre of lush, densely planted wonder in North Canterbury’s summer-dry haven. Wander along wide grass paths through intimate shade gardens, tussock and prairie borders, Mediterranean-style gravel zones, a no-mow meadow, vineyard, productive vegetable patch, and charming creek-side nooks—all thoughtfully designed with strong planting schemes and expert maintenance. This vibrant garden, crafted from a bare paddock since 2013, showcases extraordinary growth in its sandy loam soil—thanks to Jenny Cooper’s innovative summer-dry approach and unwavering passion.
Price: $30 ($40 Non-member)
Address: 35 Willowside Place, Amberley Jenny Cooper:
Photo credit: Anna McLeod Photography
FRIDAY 13 MARCH 202610.30am - 12pm
Flaxmere
Created over 50 years ago on a North Canterbury sheep farm, Penny Vino’s Flaxmere, is a celebrated country garden set against the Southern Alps. In March, late-summer colour lingers while autumn begins to show, making it a spectacular time to visit.Five ponds, stone walls, and timber bridges bring tranquillity and birdlife, while expansive plantings range from natives to roses, rhododendrons and woodlands. A new dry garden, planted in 2024, adds fresh seasonal interest. Flaxmere welcomes visitors from around the world to enjoy its ever-changing beauty.
Price: $30 ($40 Non-member)
Address: 263 Stockgrove Road, Waipara
FRIDAY 10 APRIL 2026 10.30am - 12.30pm
Ōhinetahi
Celebrated for over 1.25 hectares of garden, Ōhinetahi is also home to two galleries, sculpture and woodland trails, and a significant 19th century homestead. Sir Miles Warren, his sister Pauline and her husband John bought the property. After restoring the ramshackle house, the garden was established. It was gifted to the nation in 2012 and is now run by the Ōhinetahi Charitable Trust. A place of magical beauty with a profound sense of peace and tranquility.
Price: $65 ($80 Non-member) Includes home-made morning tea served inside the beautiful home of Sir Miles Warren.
Address: 31 Governors Bay Teddington Road, Allandale
This is an all weather event so please be prepared for your Garden Tour with appropriate (sensible gardeners) clothing!
Meet at the garden, or carpool with friends. Includes morning tea. Members save $10 when booking all four tours.