Rotorua Garden Festival

I love visiting gardens. So I had the best day going around some of the gardens open this weekend. Starting at Lake Roti-iti, then heading around Lake Rotorua to Hamurana, discovering the gorgeous countryside of Kaharoa where there are views out to White Island (and I even spotted the Rena out by Motiti Is), and on via Ngongotaha and Kawaha Point, back to Lynmore and home again.

Are gardeners really nice people, or is it that really nice people love gardening? I'll go for the latter, seeing as I can't really call myself a gardener, not after the magnificent work I have seen today. Or maybe it is the exceptionally nice ones who love to share their gardens. Whatever.

The foral art group had been at work at one garden --

A table under the trees set for tea, and one on the terrace set for cocktails and then I guess dessert.

Dunedin's rhoddorendons are pretty special, but they obviously love Rotorua conditions too.