Straw Bale House — Hurunui Garden Festival

Created by hand, with love…..

Hosts: Jonathan and Sarah Gardiner

Address: 10 Coleridge Street, Hanmer Springs

This garden is inspired by the beautiful straw bale house which sits at its heart. Built by the owners over 2 years, the warm tones, natural materials and soft curves of the house are all echoed in the design of the garden.

Wide verandahs embrace three sides of the house and the clay plastered walls absorb the sun’s rays and radiate the heat outwards, creating plenty of lovely places to sit and enjoy the garden.

Sheltered courtyards open out to lovely plantings featuring natives and perennials. There is a sense of discovery as each area opens up before you. Mature trees and shrubs create a calm, enveloping feeling. Rhododendrons feature throughout the garden, a legacy from Jonathan’s mother whose garden on the farm at ‘Woodchester’ was well known for its variety and number of rhododendrons.

Paths meander through a gate to the large productive garden. This has a generous orchard, large greenhouse, vegetable beds, compost bins, and a berry plot.

This is the first year for this garden in the festival. Owners Sarah and Jonathan have been opening up lovely winding paths through their beech forest. Jonathan and granddaughters have also created cubby houses and a series of gorgeous fairy houses in this wild area, for your young children to enjoy. There are also a series of information boards telling the story of the building of their house, for those of you interested in this beautiful and sustainable form of building.

This is a garden that is loved and very much lived in, with a warm welcoming feeling.

EVENTS

Weaving with garden materials – with Hannah Schickedanz, an established Wellington artist.

https://hannah.schickeda.nz/workshops/

Using the ancient art of weaving, participants will create a basket from foraged materials from the garden. You will not only learn a new craft, but have something to share with others.

Venue indoors in case of bad weather

Daily from 1-4 (afternoon tea provided)

All materials provided.

Cost $100 (In addition to garden admission fee of$12.50)‍

Minimum 6 and Max 8 participants per course

Booking essential.

Contact hannah@schickeda.nz‍ ‍or phone 02102449050

Facilities:

^{Toilets available on site}

^{Refreshments available for purchase}

^{Picnic area (visitors may bring food)}

^{Dogs allowed}

^{Home producers/vegetable gardens}