Pethybridge Rose Gardens - Motueka, South Island, New Zealand - Rose Gardens on Waymarking.com

These gardens is a must-visit place for anyone who wants to enjoy a leisurely stroll around an amazing array of about 300 rose varieties, or to sit quietly to soak in the vivid colours and the birdsong, particularly in the spring and summer months when the roses and rhododendrons are at their peak.

Such was the lack of prominence of this treasure that the Community Board in 2010 had a road sign erected opposite the High Street entranceway behind the white pergola to remind people that it was open for viewing and worth the stop. And the gardens have an interesting place in Motueka's history, with links to the 20th century tobacco industry.


Murray Owen wrote a little of the history of the garden in an article in The Guardian. As the entrance plaque says, it was developed and named for the outstanding service given by Charles E Pethybridge over a period of 50 years (1914 - 1964) to the tobacco company WD & HO Wills. The Masonic Lodge complex at the back of the garden was the tobacco company's premises. The garden opened in 1964.

The layout is ideal for the long dimensions of the land, with stretches of lawn running beside the mirrored single rows of roses interspersed with perennials, leading from each end to the circular centrepiece of standard roses, with its seating and focal stone table with metal top engraved with a map.

Around the outside are climbing and rambling roses along with rhododendrons, magnolias and several other flowering bushes, and several well established large trees, including the feature ginkgo, enclose and quieten the space and host myriads of singing birds.

Garden Name: Pethybridge Rose Gardens Hours: 24 hours daily Fees: Free Website: [Web Link] Location: Not listed Parking: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
To log this waymark, upload a photograph of your favorite rose and tell us why you like it. If nothing is blooming feel free to upload a shot of your favorite garden feature. Also, please let us know what you think of the garden.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.