Bonuses in the garden for early birds

Wakatipu Plunket vice-president Anna Dorsey (centre) with her son Lucas Dorsey (3) and Plunket...
Wakatipu Plunket vice-president Anna Dorsey (centre) with her son Lucas Dorsey (3) and Plunket committee member Maisy Chan at Chantecler, a garden of significance near Queenstown. Early ticket buyers for the organisation's annual garden tour will get a ''bonus tour'' of the impressive gardens on October 25. Photo supplied.
A rare opportunity to see one of Queenstown's hidden gems is on offer for early ticket buyers for the annual Wakatipu Plunket Garden Tour.

While the tour - featuring between six and eight gardens - is not until December 6, Plunket vice-president Anna Dorsey said a ''bonus tour'' was being held on October 25, on which ticket holders would be given a tour of Chantecler, a garden of significance.

The Lower Shotover property, owned by Queenstowners Mike and Maureen Henry, was awarded four stars by the New Zealand Gardens Trust and features six gardens, including the English Garden, which features about 700 rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, magnolias, ornamental cherries, hostas, hellebores, hydrangeas and kalmias.

The 4.8ha garden is part of a 16ha property, originally part of one of the Wakatipu's old farms bought by the couple in 2003.

A native garden was established in 2006, joining the formal, Tuscan, French and Oriental-themed gardens around the property, which also features a stream, waterfalls, fountains, bridges, ponds and sculptures, a vegetable garden, a berry garden, an orchard and animals including alpacas and fallow deer.

Mrs Dorsey said that as part of the bonus tour, Jaimie Stodler, Cup&Cake owner and 2014 Masterchef finalist, would be holding two cake-decorating master classes at Chantecler on the day, free for ticket holders.

The full self-drive tour will be held on December 6, and participants provided with a map and a goody bag, a complimentary Devonshire tea, exclusive plant sales, Christmas gifts and raffles.

Along with cake-decorating demonstrations by Ms Stodler, there would be live music and wine sales, Mrs Dorsey said.

The Garden Tour is Wakatipu Plunket's biggest fundraiser and helps provide services to support the health, wellbeing and development of children in the basin.

This year, the group hopes to raise $10,000.

''All our community services are 100% funded by donations, so the Garden Tour provides essential funds that keep the rooms open and running as well as providing amazing support to local families,'' Mrs Dorsey said.

• Tickets for the tour, including the bonus tour, cost $35 and are available from www.eventfinda.co.nz, or Queenstown Plunket rooms in Henry St, open Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm.

The bonus tour of Chantecler will be held on October 25 between 10am and 3pm, available to anyone who books before that date.

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