Garden tours of N.Z. planned

Press, 22 October 1986, Page 25

Garden tours of N.Z. planned

PA Oamaru American tourists will have a chance to see the best of New Zealand’s gardens in an extensive tour programme prepared by the well-known horticulturist, Eion Scarrow. “New Zealand — the world’s garden” is a tour package put together by Mr Scarrow’s company, Horticultural Promotions, Ltd, and the -first two tours are planned for late January next year. The tours are being promoted in the United States by the Auckland travel agent, Rumsey Tours of New Zealand, and inquiries have also been received from Britain, Australia and Europe. Mr Scarrow said he had spent the last, five years on the project, including compiling a list of more than 300 gardens from Houhora in the north to Stewart Island in the south which tour groups could visit regardless of season. Once the general tours are under way, the company would look at specialist tours for iris, camellia or rhododendron fanciers from the United States. The first South Island tour will start in Christchurch on January 29. From there the tour party will see about 35 gardens in the Mackenzie Country, Mount Cook, Milford, Dunedin, Oamaru and Christchurch areas, with a “home-stay” planned at Fairlie.