Mona Vale

Photos

    The Garden

    Mona Vale is a delightful place to relax in peaceful surroundings. Enjoy a garden of mature trees, sloping lawns and herbaceous borders, a large rose garden, irises and a water lily pond. The sheltered setting also showcases a number of impressive buildings of regional historic signficance. Mona Vale Homestead is listed with Heritage New Zealand as a Historic Place Category 1 and the Gate House at the Fendalton Road entrance is a Category 2 listed building.

    From their beginnings, the gardens at Mona Vale have featured significant plantings of English and European trees, rhododendrons, camellias, conifers and maples.

    More recently, magnolias, many Ericaceae, herbaceous perennials and beds of annuals have been added. Mona Vale also features a large iris garden, woodland plantings along the river and colour-themed borders.

    In the 1940's, the main rose beds were replaced by the Lily Pond. Mona Vale's current Rose Garden was established in 1994 in conjunction with the International Roseworld Convention. The popular garden features both modern hybrids and heritage roses.

    The Iris Garden, near the Bath House, has been a feature of Mona Vale since the 1970s. The extensive collection of flowering irises and associated plants has been amassed since this time through donations by iris enthusiasts and acquisition from offshore.

    Down from the Fendalton Road entrance the driveway alongside the Avon River has a sweeping margin of annual bedding displays. The beds are routinely changed twice a year, in November in anticipation of summer and again in April for spring flowering.

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    The Gardener

    Today, the Gardens are tended by a small dedicated team of Christchurch City Council gardeners.

    Map

    Garden Details

    Address
    Mona Vale, 40 Mona Vale Avenue, Fendalton.
    Email
    info@ccc.govt.nz
    Phone
    03 941 8999
    Website:
    www.ccc.govt.nz/parks-and-gardens/mona-vale
    Hours
    Open every day of the year from 7am
    Closes:
    November-February 9pm
    March 8pm
    April 6:30pm
    May 5:30
    June-August 5pm
    September 6pm
    October 7pm
    Garden Size
    Historic Mona Vale features 5.5 hectares of established gardens, sweeping landscaped lawns and impressive heritage buildings and structures.
    Price
    Free entry to the public.
    Parking
    Free on-site parking is available via the Mona Vale Avenue entrance. The coach park outside the grounds off Mona Vale Avenue is also available for parking.
    Toilets
    Yes. Wheelchair accessible.
    Cafe/Resaurant Available
    Mona Vale Homestead and Pantry: Open daily (except Christmas Day) for meals from 7am to 5pm (1 Sept – 30 April) and 9am – 4pm (1 May – 30 August).
    Seating
    Outdoor seating.
    Picnics
    Visitors are welcome to bring picnics.
    Wheelchair Access
    Yes the grounds are wheelchair friendly.
    Dogs Allowed
    In the grounds on a leash.
    Children Allowed
    Yes but please supervise at all times as we have the river and water features.
    Accommodation
    Located between the airport and the city, convenient for out of town visitors. Close to many styles of accomodation.
    Weddings
    The Homestead is also available for wedding and function hire. For further information please call 03 341 7450 or email gather@monavale.nz
    Guided Tours
    Groups can be dropped off at the Fendalton Road entrance, wander along beside the river through the gardens, then be picked up by their bus on Mona Vale Avenue or vice versa.
    Other Facilities
    Close proximity to Hagley Park, Botanic Gardens, golf course.