The Gore Public Gardens are listed as a Garden of National Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust.
The original parkland area of Gore, the gardens can be easily found in the town’s green belt, bounded by Fairfield and Ardwick streets. Created in 1906, the land was originally set aside back in 1874. The garden was designed by David Tannock, famed for his work for the Dunedin Botanic Garden.
Visitors to the garden will find a selection of mature trees including a gigantic Wellingtonia and two horizontal elms, as well as exotic trees and shrubs including several rare and unusual specimens in the extensive conifer border.
The changing seasons
As the seasons change throughout the year, there is always something to be seen.
Spring bulbs are accompanied by camellias, magnolia and enkianthus trees flowering. The peony border is spectacular in November, and in summer the roses provide an impressive display.
In the autumn, the large selection of annuals continues to bloom as the deciduous foliage begins to turn on the maple trees, the enkianthus becomes a bright red, and red berries appear on the Sorbus trees.
Winter features include the witch hazels bearing yellow flowers on bare branches after the yellow autumn foliage drops. And hawthorns (Crataegus) produce red berries through the winter after the white blossom finishes. The conifer border is also a winter attraction.
Don’t miss your chance to explore the Gore Gardens. There is also a winter garden, open all year round, and an aviary. With its abundance of shelter, the area is an ideal venue for events. Each year it hosts the Southland Rhododendron Festival, in October, and our Christmas in the Park concert, in December.
