Fun things to do in Waikato

Like freshly picked Herbs from the garden, well this is the place to see a large herb garden, much to big for the backyard gardener!
The Herb garden has a formal framework of paving and evergreens to set off the herb plants.
The example at Hamilton Gardens has many of the features of the classic European 18th / 19th century gardens. These were usually square or rectangular divided, depending on its size, into two, four or six compartments.
The use of herbs for culinary purposes is to enhance flavour rather than to disguise the taste of bad meat as in the olden days.

Being a keen gardener, Hamilton Gardens was on my must visit list. These were fairly large themed gardens. Well done and not at their best, Spring & Summer would be the best times to visit, they still weren't disappointing. A lot of work has gone into these gardens, and I thought it nice that admission was still FREE!

There are five different gardens
The Paradise Garden Collection featuring gardens representing some of the most significant garden design traditions.....

The Fantasy Garden Collection representing different forms of garden fantasy, and the Cultivar, Landscape and Productive Garden Collections.

Leave yourself some time, as there is a lot to see here. Rodgers Rose garden has over 4000 roses to view, the English garden is beautiful, there are many more to see, to numerous to mention.

Visiting times .......
The central theme gardens are open from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm in winter and 8pm in summer.
The Information Centre is open seven days a week from 10.00am to 4.00pm and later during busy summer periods.
The Gardens Cafe is open from 10am to 5pm in winter and 10am to 6pm in summerThe Victorian Flower Garden Display Houses are open from 10am to 4pm in winter and from 10am to 5pm in summer.

ADMISSION TO THE GARDENS IS FREE

Renaissance gardens are always neat, tidy and geometrical.

They have evolved from the ancient Medieval garden, and many of the elements from that earlier era were retained such as the high surrounding walls, flat square beds with edges lined with plants, and the arched trellis work.
The Renaisaance garden has a strong central axis.

The Zen garden is for viewing from a pavilion and one must use one's imagination. Using one's imagination becomes a Zen exercise.
THE JAPANESE GARDEN OF CONTEMPLATION.

As the name says, it really is a nice area where I could sit and let the worries of the world disappear!

As with most Japanese gardens, it is set around a pond and designed to be viewed from an observation building opening onto a verandah.
Once again, ancient rules have been used to produce the desired effect of the garden with islands, trees and rocks. These two gardens, the Shoin style scroll garden and the Dry garden have no emphasis on flowers, colour or blossom.

Green & Grey are the main colours, still is a very relaxing garden to view, you can feel the serenity of the garden.

We took Maungakaw road up a hill to a lookout that gave lovely views over the Cambridge area. There is a native bush walk(approximately 20 minutes) for stretching the legs, and may be spotting a tui and wood pigeon that are meant to be found in the area, we didn't see either! In Spring, it is meant to be pretty when the Daffodils are in flower.
It was nice when we were there even though it wasn't spring!

Cambridge is a really nice town, with lots of tree lined streets and beautiful old buildings. They even have a Cambridge Tree trail that you can follow! Antique stores, arts and crafts shops.
You can get a leaflet from the info centre of the Heritage walk around the town, and you can also do a tour to the beautifu gardens in the area. I bought a nice good quality souvenir from the Information centre that I saw nowhere else in New Zealand.

When walking along the streets of Cambridge we saw the " EQUINE STARS WALK OF FAME" These are mosaics of Cambridge bred racehorse winners and others embedded in the pavement. 13 winners of the Melbourne Cup have been bred here.

Start at the brass Mare & Foal sculpture in Victoria Street, infront of the Town Hall. A "Wall Of Fame" which has the 13 cup winners on it, is infront of the National Bank.

Tours to Racehorse studs can also be taken, the studs are very "posh" around here, I think the horses live in better accommodation than a lot of people!
Trotting and Polo is also enjoyed here. Mark Todd, the Olympic Equestrian rider also comes from this area.

The Arapuni Suspension Bridge is located just downstream from the Arapuni Power Station on the Waikato River. The 152-metre suspension bridge in the bush-lined gorge was built in the mid-1920s to allow workers from the village of Arapuni to access the power station construction site. It is listed as a Historic Place.

I walked across it, it was great, I was so high up above the raging water below, quite an experience. Views of the gorge were pretty good too!
The site can be accessed via a walkway starting on Arapuni Road opposite Rabone Street.

There is a road a little further down where you can get photos looking back to the bridge

We passed through here on our way Paeora to Cambridge. Its only a small country town, with lots of Dairy farms and other rural industries.
I wanted to visit as I had read and seen pictures about the town.

Our 1st stop was probably like everybody elses, at the BIG DOG INFORMATION CENTRE which is right alongside the BIG SHEEP. These buildings were built in 1998, so they are not that old. We had a look quick look around, and saw some interesting corrugated iron shapes.

I would like to go back here and have a look at the new ones that are there
Great work by the people of Tirau to get people to come to their town, its a real tourist attraction.