The spectacular 110 year old gardens of Otahuna were originally created for Sir Heaton Rhodes and cultivated under the direction of A.E. Lowe who trained at Kew Gardens, London.  The property's thirty acres of grounds offer wide vistas over lawn and lake, intimate woodlands walks, an exquisite potager garden and nationally celebrated daffodil fields.

The front gardens were created using Georgian garden design principles in which the dramatic surrounding Port Hills are mirrored and framed by plantings surrounding the Great Lawn.   From this grand expanse of lawn, three bridges cross the ornamental lake leading to the daffodil field.

During the first half of the 20th century, Otahuna became nationally famous for its field of daffodils - the largest in New Zealand at the time.   Today, millions of bulbs stil bloom resplendent every September, welcoming guests to the property on our annual charity open day.

Elsewhere, a small pathway leads through an avenue of chusan palms into the Dutch Garden.   Low buxus hedges laid out in a windmill pattern form six gravel pathways radiating out from a central circle.   Sunlight filters through the canopy of exotic trees which include a host of camellias, a loquat, a weeping cherry and a strawberry tree.

The potager-style vegetable garden provides for a huge range of heritage vegetables, herbs, nuts and berries all grown organically for the Lodge's kitchens.    Apples, pears, quince, and other fruit abound in Otahuna's orchard which includes many trees from the Edwardian era.   A sunken apple store and Victorian melon house are among some of the buildings surrounding the orchard.