Nestled into the base of Mt Maude, a short distance from Lake Hāwea, you’ll find Crosshill – an eclectic, 115 year old garden, currently experiencing a transformation, thanks to the vision and hard work over the past year of new custodians, Ali and Nic.

The 2 hectare garden at Crosshill has undergone many iterations with past owners, the first of whom were passionate tree planters. Today the magnificent mature trees that grace the property are testament to their foresight, and provide a sense of scale and grandeur – a massive native beech, magnificent copper beech, birch, liquid amber, elder as well as ancient plums, apples and cherries.
With different gardeners come different styles - Ali and Nic love history but they are also bringing new ways of thinking … or rather, as Ali describes “going back to the old ways, the right ways of doing things”. Spray has been banned, and the original orchard is being transformed into a five layer permaculture food forest – its clipped lawns and sprayed edges replaced by under-plantings of comfrey, garlic chives, peas , lemon balm and other herbs. Ali also intends growing grape vines through the branches of the existing fruit tress – apple, pears, apricots, peaches, feijoa and a much loved quince.
A large vegetable garden provides food for the household. “ The growing season down here is short and sharp but very productive. We grow silver beet, potatoes, many different brassicas, peas and leeks, beans..” Seedlings are lovingly propagated in the potting shed and nurtured in the covered nursery/shade house adjacent to the vege patch.
Bearded irises grow particularly well here and Ali is dividing and propagating them to sell. Heritage roses are another passion, and in the paddock below the 120 year old wool shed you’ll find the beginnings of a picking garden, for roadside flower sales.
One of Ali’s favourite areas is the evolving woodland garden. A “no-man’s land” when Nic and Ali moved in, it now features a meandering path (the route of which was dictated by their two dogs), and recent mass plantings of bluebells – bringing back to life Ali’s childhood memories of English Bluebell Woods. An unexpected clearing in the newly planted Rhododendron garden provides the ideal spot for functions and social gatherings – its rustic table with log stools set, on the day we visited, in a Persian-style, jewel-inspired theme, reminiscent of Alibaba’s cave.

Toilets
Refreshments
Picnic Area
Shop
Onsite parking
Wheelchair/pushchair friendly

Crosshill Garden Visit

Price: $22.50

Duration: 1 hour

Capacity: 1 - 10 people

Upcoming dates:

Sunday 2 January

Learn more + see availability

Meet the Gardener

Ali has an infectious passion for gardening which she can trace back to visits to her grandfather’s glasshouse as a five year old.

“Over the past thirty something years Nic and I have owned several gardens in Southland and Otago. I’ve nurtured vegetable gardens, planted hundreds of trees, worn out dozens of gardening gloves and gumboots, watched hours of gardening programmes, read countless gardening books and magazines. And Nic has spent literally years on a ride-on mower. We’ve been fortunate to have visited many stunning European gardens, and we’ve talked to so very many like-minded garden enthusiasts. We have gifted and received cuttings and produce, given bunches of flowers in sad times and happy times, or just because. We have watched the eyes of our children roll at the dinner table when advised that every vegetable was ‘growing just a few minutes ago in our garden’.”

Ali’s favourite part of gardening is getting her hands in the soil, being outdoors, thinking, planning dreaming…. and then seeing her vision come to fruition through hard work.

Ali was a committee member of the Arrowtown Horticultural Society for 15 years. As well as hosting garden tours there are plans for a range of workshops – which will take place in Crosshill’s 120 year old wool shed (which doubles as a potting shed and flower drying area).

We’re told so often these days that gardening is good for your mental health. But it’s more than that. Gardening is good for your whole being…. it’s constantly rewarding.

Latest news

Seasonal highlights

Last updated: 28th May, 2022

Seed collecting is in full swing now. Poppy sowing is a real test of self-control, I just want to see poppies everywhere next season and with an abundance of seeds from this year, it's proving difficult to maintain restraint. The winter vegetables, Cavallo nero, perpetual spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage are all under cloth to protect them from the masses of white butterflies we've had trouble with this year. Beets and parsnips are in too. Dahlias are in full bloom, fingers crossed for a late first frost, it'll be sad to see them go, they've been wonderful this year. It won't be long until the leaves begin their Autumn costume change, it's one of my favourite times of the year and so spectacular here at Crosshill with a variety of exotic trees. The apples and pears are almost finished, walnuts are now filling our harvest baskets and I'm watching and waiting for the feijoas - the last to share their fruit with us. As for self-sufficiency in the fruit and vegetable garden, after only 18 months here I'd give us a good 7/10, we have higher expectations for next year now that we have a better grasp of the soil and weather conditions. I'm waiting for 100 tulips to arrive for the picking garden in the paddock, they will sit beside the Bearded Iris collection. I'll see what else I can fit in....

Garden shop

Last updated: 28th May, 2022

Potted cuttings and seedlings are available in our nursery, we welcome your used plant pots - reduce, reuse, recycle, it keeps costs down too, thank you.

Upcoming Dates

2 January 2022 - 3 January 2022 Ended

Hāwea, New Zealand

Get Directions

Visitors book

Gorgeous, I have seen first hand the hard work you have put into creating your secret paradise (Instagram).

- Marie

Magical, magical spot (Instagram)

- Lizzie

This garden is full of hidden gems (Instagram)

- Fiona

Fabulous garden. So many interesting garden rooms. Myself and two friends thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Ali was a brilliant host, very knowledgeable and great sense of humour.

- Katherine

We had a beautiful morning with Ali. Taking a “pause” from our everyday lives here in the majestic region of Otago. A wonderful welcome from her and her two gorgeous dogs, Rusty and Winnie! As we meandered through the garden Ali explained the history of the old station and we looked up in awe at the tall trees around us. Ali and her husband Nic have brought the property alive with their pathways, areas of planting with whimsical and playful colours, and you’ll find a surprise or two hidden amongst the shrubs! We came away refreshed and with a new appreciation of the food forest and other delights such as freshly harvested walnuts, courgettes, kale, tomatoes and Ali’s homemade Quince paste (which I must say tasted yummy with Whitestone Lindis farm Camembert). So much to see and learn here. A magical place filled with love and wonder. Thank you so very much Ali ♥️ I’m already planning our next visit!

- Josie

Visitors book

Gorgeous, I have seen first hand the hard work you have put into creating your secret paradise (Instagram).

- Marie

Magical, magical spot (Instagram)

- Lizzie

This garden is full of hidden gems (Instagram)

- Fiona

Fabulous garden. So many interesting garden rooms. Myself and two friends thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Ali was a brilliant host, very knowledgeable and great sense of humour.

- Katherine

We had a beautiful morning with Ali. Taking a “pause” from our everyday lives here in the majestic region of Otago. A wonderful welcome from her and her two gorgeous dogs, Rusty and Winnie! As we meandered through the garden Ali explained the history of the old station and we looked up in awe at the tall trees around us. Ali and her husband Nic have brought the property alive with their pathways, areas of planting with whimsical and playful colours, and you’ll find a surprise or two hidden amongst the shrubs! We came away refreshed and with a new appreciation of the food forest and other delights such as freshly harvested walnuts, courgettes, kale, tomatoes and Ali’s homemade Quince paste (which I must say tasted yummy with Whitestone Lindis farm Camembert). So much to see and learn here. A magical place filled with love and wonder. Thank you so very much Ali ♥️ I’m already planning our next visit!

- Josie

Covid-19 Policy

At Crosshill Garden we require all visitors to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Please bring along your vaccine pass on the day, and be prepared to show it on request.

In addition, we also require that all visitors garden:

• scan in using their COVID Tracer App, or manually sign in, prior to entering
• practice good hygiene, including hand sanitising
• practice social distancing
• wear a mask if you wish, however these are not mandatory. We are also happy to wear a mask if visitors request it.

Please don't attend a garden visit or workshop if you are feeling unwell or have cold/flu symptoms. Get in touch with Secret Gardens administration ([email protected]) and they can change your booking or provide you with a refund.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will review our policy if the risk in our community changes, and as the New Zealand Government provides further guidance.

Please note that each Secret Gardens Host is responsible for setting their own policy - protocols and requirements will vary from garden to garden.

Visitors book

Gorgeous, I have seen first hand the hard work you have put into creating your secret paradise (Instagram).

- Marie

Magical, magical spot (Instagram)

- Lizzie

This garden is full of hidden gems (Instagram)

- Fiona

Fabulous garden. So many interesting garden rooms. Myself and two friends thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Ali was a brilliant host, very knowledgeable and great sense of humour.

- Katherine

We had a beautiful morning with Ali. Taking a “pause” from our everyday lives here in the majestic region of Otago. A wonderful welcome from her and her two gorgeous dogs, Rusty and Winnie! As we meandered through the garden Ali explained the history of the old station and we looked up in awe at the tall trees around us. Ali and her husband Nic have brought the property alive with their pathways, areas of planting with whimsical and playful colours, and you’ll find a surprise or two hidden amongst the shrubs! We came away refreshed and with a new appreciation of the food forest and other delights such as freshly harvested walnuts, courgettes, kale, tomatoes and Ali’s homemade Quince paste (which I must say tasted yummy with Whitestone Lindis farm Camembert). So much to see and learn here. A magical place filled with love and wonder. Thank you so very much Ali ♥️ I’m already planning our next visit!

- Josie

Crosshill Garden

Nestled into the base of Mt Maude, a short distance from Lake Hāwea, you’ll find Crosshill – an eclectic, 115 year old garden, currently experiencing a transformation, thanks to the vision and hard work over the past year of new custodians, Ali and Nic.

Crosshill Garden Visit

Meet the Gardener

Latest news

Seasonal highlights

Garden shop

Upcoming Dates

Visitors book

Visitors book

Covid-19 Policy

Visitors book

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