Hamilton Gardens has long been one of my favourite places to visit in the North Island. It's a truly marvellous destination with several gardens that are breathtaking even for folks who have no idea about gardens.
Earlier this year, the Ancient Egyptian Garden opened as the location's newest attraction and earned hype as the world's first modern recreation of a 4000-year-old garden of its style.
Recently I checked it out for myself - and loved it. It's a stunning addition to the already incredible Hamilton Gardens, making them well worth a visit even if you've been there time and time again.
Based on a typical temple in Egypt during the 2040-1782 BCE period, it's a space that looks stunning no matter which direction you're facing, and is equally enjoyable getting up-close-and-personal and marvelling at the finer details.
From the bright art and hieroglyphics adorning the walls to the carved wooden seats, to the plants themselves - based on what was grown in Egypt at the time - there is a lot to take in.
The central pool and how the surrounding walls and pillars frame it is very pleasing to gaze upon and it's fun seeing how it looks from all the different angles as you walk around it.
It all becomes a lot more impactful when you read into the garden's meaning and the symbolism of its different elements.
The official Hamilton Gardens website has some handy advice for how to properly appreciate the Ancient Egyptian Garden.
"Stroll back in time. Take shelter from the sweltering sun beneath the vines on the pergola. Gaze upon the hieroglyphics and the stars on the temple's portico ceiling. Sit awhile among the sacred plants," it says, before getting a bit more dramatic: "Imagine you have come to ensure your soul will have safe passage through the dangers of the underworld into the promises of the afterlife."
Of course, you don't have to imagine yourself in the afterlife to cherish your time in this garden, but perhaps it will help.
While for decades the Hamilton Gardens have been all the reason one needs to drive to the Waikato city - especially from somewhere as close as Auckland - the Ancient Egyptian Garden makes it more worth your while than ever before.
The drive itself is now particularly great too - well, a good chunk of it is. Driving south, once you get to around Te Kauwhata, you get a lot of nice, big 110km/h sections of motorway. If you go right down and get off SH1 onto SH26, the motorway gets progressively newer as you go, with beautiful views of lush, green Waikato to drink in, especially at this time of year.
The drive is even better when undertaken in a brand new vehicle; I did it in a 2022 T-Roc R loaned to me by Volkswagen which made it really enjoyable.
Once there, you definitely want at least a couple of hours to spend at the gardens. There's plenty of space to enjoy a picnic you've brought along as well as a great cafe to buy from if you want to eat onsite.
Unless you opt for a guided tour, it's free to visit the gardens too. You could space out your trip by spending a night in the city and going again the next day to really see it all.
When I'm there, it never feels like I have enough time to take everything in. If you're pressed for time, here's my pick of the absolute musts:
- Ancient Egyptian Garden
- Italian Renaissance Garden
- Surrealist Garden
- Japanese Garden of Contemplation
- Mansfield Garden
- Chinese Scholar's Garden
- Indian Char Bagh Garden
- Rogers Rose Garden.
