Our places to explore and enjoy
Hamilton Gardens Café
Complete your Hamilton Gardens experience with a delicious meal at the café. Offering great food and beverages from fresh salads and sandwiches to flavourful main courses and tempting treats, there’s a food option for everyone to relax, refuel, and recharge with views overlooking Turtle Lake.
The Café caters to various dietary needs, offering vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options. Quench your thirst with a selection of hot or cold beverages, including coffee, tea, smoothies and juices.
For a full menu and opening hours, visit Hamilton Gardens Café’s Facebook page.
Hamilton Gardens Shop
Take home a unique treasure as a memento of your Hamilton Gardens experience with a visit to our charming shop.
Located conveniently within the Visitor Centre, this delightful shop has friendly and knowledgeable staff to help you find a treasure trove of unique keepsakes to commemorate your visit. Proceeds from the Shop contribute to the ongoing development and maintenance of Hamilton Gardens, so when you pick up a memento, you’re also helping to support the gardens.
Hamilton Gardens Playground
This modern playground offers fun and exploration for children of all ages. Designed to spark imagination, the Hamilton Gardens Playground features:
- A storytelling stage for impromptu performances and imaginative play
- A variety of exciting equipment for children to explore, climb, and create lasting memories
- A whimsical treehouse, swing and play equipment
- Located by the gate 2 carpark, the playground is close to amenities such as drinking fountains and toilet facilities.
River Riders
Cycle the Mighty Waikato Te Awa by hiring a bike from River Riders depot at Hamilton Gardens which you can access from the Camellia Carpark, Gate 2, Hamilton.
Uncover Hidden Gems at our Points of Interest
Earth Blanket Sculpture
Standing tall at the entrance to Hamilton Gardens, Nga Uri o Hinetuparimaunga (meaning "the earth blanket of Hinetuparimaunga") is a powerful symbol of protection, respect, and connection to the land. The landmark sculpture was officially unveiled in 2005 and is a collaborative effort between sculptor, Chris Booth and weaver, Digger Te Kanawa. Five of the 21 towering columns of volcanic rock are adorned with Te Kahu o Papatuanuku, a woven cloak of 13,000 pebbles, symbolising the earth's precious resources.
Hillside Lawn
Located beside the Gate 1 carpark is a beautiful slope for picnicking, recreational activities that erupts into a cascading blaze of golden daffodils each year.
A popular spot for events such as Kite Day, this expansive lawn is the ideal location for a friend or family picnic, this lawn is a great spot for children to run off some energy and roll down the gentle slopes.
Russian Log Bell Tower
The Russian Log Bell Tower stands as a testament to cultural exchange and meticulous craftsmanship. It invites visitors to embark on a journey through time, offering a glimpse into a different era and architectural style.
Nestled amidst the picturesque Hamilton Gardens, a unique architectural gem awaits: the Russian Log Bell Tower. This meticulously crafted replica, perched atop a gentle slope, transports visitors to a bygone era can be accessed via Camellia Carpark through gate 2.
Little Bull
Pushing boundaries and challenging conventional art, ‘Little Bull’ reflects the public’s evolving perspectives on art and its appreciation for diversity in artistic style.
Standing proudly in the Victorian Flower Garden of Hamilton Gardens, "Little Bull" is more than just a sculpture; it's a testament to artistic expression and the evolution of public taste. Unveiled in 1968, this iconic bronze piece holds a unique place in the city's history.
Women's Suffrage Pavilion
Nestled amidst the verdant embrace of the Valley Walk in Hamilton Gardens, the Suffrage Pavilion stands as a symbol of women's suffrage and a tranquil space for reflecting on women's empowerment, cultural heritage, and the enduring pursuit of equality.
Commissioned in 1993, the pavilion commemorated the 100th anniversary of New Zealand becoming the first country to grant women the right to vote.
Wood Carving Mural Wall
Enter the Pavilion to view a wonderful mural carved in wood that celebrates the magic of Hamilton Gardens. Sculptors Derek Kerwood and Megan Godfrey were so enchanted by their visits to Hamilton Gardens that inspiration struck.
They envisioned a masterpiece, not just for their eyes, but for everyone to enjoy and the result was a breath-taking mural, carved from a very special tree, which adorns the main foyer in the Pavilion.
Time Court
This in-ground sundial is a recreation of a Pelekinon developed by the Ancient Greeks to measure time, Time Court at Hamilton Gardens can be used as both a clock and a calendar - as long as the weather is sunny!
Nested at central connection between 11 of our Enclosed Gardens, the Summerhouse, toilets and providing entry to 6 gardens, is the Hamilton Gardens Time Court. This Pelekinon-inspired solar calendar includes so much more than just the time.
The Huddleston Airship
Hamilton Garden’s most innovative piece of gardening equipment. Designed to glide silently through the night delivering plants and pruning hard to reach hedges for the gardening team, the Huddleston Airship is an oversized steampunk blimp, chock-full of industrial gadgets and mechanical steam engines. It arrives from a time when steam power ruled the world and can be spotted hovering beside the Concept Garden in Braithwaite Court.
Sponsored by the Braithwaite family, with substantial support from Lloyd Brownlie (on site engineering) and Bryce Weal (structural engineer). Braithwaite Court recognises the family’s strong connection to Hamilton Gardens.
