About | Ngatea Water Garden

The Ngatea Water Garden is a garden with a difference. Filled with funny signs that start from the car park, you and the kids will get a good laugh out of it. Funny stuff aside though, this garden is beautiful and you can see that though owners, Roger and Emma Blake may love a good giggle, they’re also serious about their garden.

Note: a sense of humour is needed.

Enter Arthur’s Canny Museum to view a display of 11,000 different beer and soft drink cans from around the world. Arthur Blake, Roger’s dad, started collecting cans in 1989 and it is now the only collection of beverage cans open to the public in New Zealand.

The five-acre water gardens are quite small and can be walked through in about half an hour. Take your time, read all of the signs and enjoy the gardens. This was actually the perfect time for the boys who can get quite bored when we walk through larger gardens so you don’t have to worry about the kids throwing tantrums because of how long it takes. The flat paved walking paths make it accessible for prams and wheelchairs.

The path takes you over bridges, past waterfalls, water lily ponds, waterwheels and fountains. There’s even a castle!

Stop in at the gift shop to grab a souvenir. Water plants, fish and birds are also for sale.

Tip: grab a bag of fish and bird feed. The ducks are super friendly and the kids will find it amusing seeing how they follow you around – especially when you have a paper bag that they’re all used to seeing in your hand.

 

 

Ngatea Water Garden boy standing in front of the man made lake

 

 

Open

Summer (October – April): Thursday – Sunday, 10 – 4pm.

Winter (June, July & August): Sundays only.

 

 

 

Ngatea Water Garden

 

Cost

Adults: $14

5 – 13 years: $6

Under 5: free

 

 

Ngatea Water Garden water plants for sale

 

 

Nearby

Blueberry Country

 

Location

At the end of Bratlie Place.

 

Photos

We loved the humour that Roger and Emma Blake infused into the place. As soon as we arrived and saw these reserved signs, we were a little confused as to where we were supposed to park, but looking over to the one next to me, I soon saw the joke. It catches a few people out – while we were paying for our entry we saw another car drive in, park, reserve out and find another park, then reverse out again and come back to their original one. You definitely need a sense of humour at a place like this!

 

humorous signs in the car park

funny parking metre for bikes

 

 

There were paid parking meters for bikes and just in case you forgot your phone, there’s an emergency phone 75km away.

 

 

emergency phone sign

swans, ducks, and dinosaurs

 

 

Look closely at everything you come across because 9 times out of 10, it’ll have a bit of humour in it. This sign shows what birds you might see in the gardens… including a pteranodon. You actually might find its eggs somewhere…

 

 

the immaculate Ngatea Water Garden

some of the oldest turltes in new zealand at Ngatea Water Garden

turtles

water fountain

 

 

We had come first thing in the morning and were able to enjoy the Ngatea Water Gardens to ourselves. The gardens were beautiful and immaculate.

 

 

kids at Ngatea Water Garden

beautiful flowers and succulents

hydrangeas flower

pink flowers

signs

ducks swimming in the lake

kids walking over the white bridge at Ngatea Water Garden

kids feeding the ducks at Ngatea Water Gardens

nz gardens

 

 

One of the highlights was getting to feed the very friendly ducks that are likely to follow you if you’re holding the paper bag that they know holds their lunch.

 

 

ducks following the kids walking around the garden

the lake

ngatea garden

Ngatea Water Garden castle

ducks following the boys to the castle

 

 

The ducks, still following us as we continued around the garden. Noah actually lost his bag to one of them snatching it from him so make sure you hold on to them and hold them high so they can’t reach.

 

 

boys walking around the garden Ngatea Water Garden nz

bird aviary

sword in the rock

Ngatea Water Garden nz

the gardens and wishing well

nowhere in particular sign at Ngatea Water Garden

the lake

ducks in the pond

boys feeding the ducks

a peacock

fish in the lake

the man made lake at Ngatea Water Garden

outdoor lamp

water plants around the lake

Ngatea Water Garden

lake

gate

beautiful lake at the Ngatea Water Garden

duck crossing

boat parking only on the lake

funny signs at Ngatea Water Garden

boys looking down at the fish in the lake

can museum

waterfall

ducks

 

 

We ended it with a little play in the play area. There was a climbing frame, seesaw, slide and swings.

We actually really enjoyed the Ngatea Water Garden and couldn’t believe that we hadn’t heard of them before. We pass through Ngatea a lot and this makes a great pit stop on the journey. Ngatea Water Garden is great for both the gardens and the humour. Drop-in a have a look for yourself next time you’re passing through.

 

 

Ngatea Water Garden playground

boy laughing on the seesaw

 

 

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