Orchard

Storybook Garden
Waterfall Lookout The Avenue

Lookout
Frog Ponds

Chinese Moongate Garden Border Garden

Sunken Garden
Brokenback NORTH
Brumbies

Rose Garden Italian Grotto

Indian Mosaic Garden

Formal Garden
Amphitheatre
Oriental Garden

ATM
Gift Shop Café
Entry

Lakes Walk

Village Green

ATM
Chapel

Over the years Imelda and I have created a number of gardens and open
spaces throughout Australia, many of which have won awards.
On retirement we thought the time had arrived to act upon our long held
ambition to build a garden that would outlast us for many generations to
come. A garden which would bring joy and excitement into many lives.
Hunter Valley Gardens has many outstanding features including 10 differently themed garden areas with
over eight kilometres of pathways, all carefully graded for easy walking. A talented crew of some 40 and
at times 50 gardeners worked here week in and week out for over four years construction them. They
were all marvellous people and most had a real love of nature and a joy in creating something of beauty
for today and for the generations to come.
A love of gardens enhances many lives and brings with it an appreciation of nature’s beauty. It also
provides a counter to the many pressures of day to day living. The spiritual experience of getting back to
nature and into gardens is very rewarding. I think you will appreciate from spending time here exactly what
I am talking about, better than my words can describe.
Hunter Valley Gardens aims to provide visitors with a magical experience - a combination of the sounds
of water and birds, together with a multitude of fragrances and colour. For many, an exciting and enriching
experience, for others one of calm and comfort. I trust we have provided something for everyone.
Take a piece of the Gardens home with
you. Purchase our new DVD from the
Garden Shed gift shop.
This interactive DVD takes you on a
tour of the entire Hunter Valley Gardens
property including:
• The magnificent Gardens
• Harrigan’s Irish Pub & Accommodation
• Mercure Resort Hunter Valley Gardens
• Roche Wines
• Weddings, Functions & Conferences
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Frequently Asked Questions
ENTRY
The Garden Shed gift shop offers a large range of quality gifts, clothes and toys for all ages.
1. Opening & Closing Hours – 9am to 5pm daily (Closed Christmas Day).
The Garden Terrace café is ideal for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea and visitors can
enjoy the tranquillity of the Oriental Garden from the terrace. Amphitheatre – Located opposite 2. How much time to allow for visiting the Gardens? 2-4 hours is optimal.
the main entrance.
3. Do you have buggies? Buggy tours are available providing a 30 minute
ROSE GARDEN
continuous tour. Can we drive the buggy? No, the tours are fully escorted
A lavish display of more than 8,000 roses in a corkscrew design – the colour and scent is truly luxurious!
by Hunter Valley Gardens staff.
FORMAL GARDEN
A classic European-style garden featuring an array of topiary, finely manicured ‘terraced’ lawns and 4. Is there somewhere for coffee/lunch? Yes, The Garden Terrace café is
over 3,000 Chameleon Rose bushes. Make a wish at the ‘Wishing Fountain’, from which all proceeds located adjacent to the Garden entry and serves light meals, cakes and hot
are dedicated to local charities. and cold beverages.
D&V Photography
INDIAN MOSAIC GARDEN 5.Can we come and go? Yes a pass out can be issued for return on the same day.
Pass through 180 year old antique Indian Elephant Gates to a superb mosaic of flowers,
6. How many gardeners do you have? We have between 20 - 30 Horticultural staff.
groundcovers and pebbles surrounded by the aroma of curry. Enjoy the Indian Tea House crafted
with traditional Indian décor.
7. Do you sell a DVD? Yes our latest version is for sale in the Garden Shed Gift Shop.
CHINESE MOONGATE GARDEN
Featuring Bamboo, Weeping Mulberries and spectacular Camellia and Magnolia trees, step through 8. Who owns the gardens. Are they privately owned? Yes the Gardens are privately
the Chinese Moongate into a different world. owned by Roche Group, a wholly Australian owned family company.
WATERFALL & SUNKEN GARDEN
Including a majestic 10-metre waterfall and garden beds ablaze with the colour of magnificent annual
displays. Enjoy superb views of Hunter Valley Gardens from the top of the waterfall.
• Construction of the Gardens began in 1999 and was completed in 2003 by a
BORDER GARDEN & OBSERVATION DECK
dedicated team of over 40 landscape gardeners, architects and engineers.
Incorporating formal hedges, classic fountains, an array of colourful annuals and statues representing
the four seasons. • The site had originally been horse paddocks and vineyards.
STORYBOOK GARDEN • More than 900,000 cubic metres of soil and clay was moved across the site to
A delight for all ages taking the visitor on a journey through childhood dreams, memories and shape and form the Gardens and an additional 300,000 cubic metres of quality
fantasies. Enjoy the Mad Hatters Tea Party with Alice in Wonderland, Humpty Dumpty, creative top soil was added.
life-size topiary and much, much more!
• The Gardens includes 1,000,000 ground covers, 6,000 trees and 600,000
ITALIAN GROTTO shrubs with 100km of underground irrigation piping.
Enjoy the scented Lavender lining the Italian Grotto with a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron
• The 8km of walking paths are covered with ryhlite, a local crushed
saint of birds and animals.
sandstone product.
ORIENTAL
V V GARDEN
• There is 16 hectares or the equivalent of 32 football fields of grass.
Enjoy the tranquillity of the Japanese Pagoda surrounded by water, native bird life, the exquisite style
of Japanese plantings and the largest display of ‘Zoysia’ grass in Australia. • More than 500,000 annuals are planted each year, 150,000 in Summer and
350,000 in Winter.
THE LAKES WALK
A gentle walk past a beautiful cascading waterfall, mass plantings of seasonal annuals, spring floral • Hunter Valley Gardens was officially opened on 10 October 2003 by
trees and shrubs surrounding the lake. NSW Premier Mr. Bob Carr.