We made a long journey between Sydney, where we spent a few days, and New Zealand, where we stayed for six weeks, from the beginning of August to mid-September 2024, to have time to tour the two islands that make up the country. In both Sydney and New Zealand, we visited camellia gardens, each more beautiful than the last, and everywhere we looked we saw camellias, magnolias and rhododendrons in all their splendour. This page is an introduction to the public gardens we were able to visit, in anticipation of being able to devote a page to each one that will present it in more detail. The photo above was taken in New Zealand, on the South Island, near Greymouth on the west coast. The photo below was taken in New-Plymouth, in the North Island, on the east coast. These are old camellias planted in the town in the 19^th century.

First stop on our trip to Sydney, Australia, to discover the city and visit its most emblematic gardens. Below, the famous Opera House.

Named in honour of E.G. Waterhouse, one of the founders of the ICS. It is a camellia conservatory, with a very varied collection. The walk is very pleasant and family-friendly. It is an ICS Garden of Excellence.

It's a vast botanical garden right in the centre of Sydney, a stone's throw from the Opera House. In addition to this avenue, there is a very pretty area reserved for camellias, with camellias of Australian origin, among others.

The fabulous private garden of E.G. Waterhouse, the first president of the ICS, has been preserved according to the wishes of its owner and maintained by volunteers. It is regularly open to the public in season. The visit is very moving and also pays tribute to the work done over the years to maintain it in its original state.

A very original garden on a mountainside. The camellias are very sheltered. It's a very peaceful walk. It is also an ICS Garden of Excellence .

We're leaving Sydney for New Zealand, with Auckland as our first stop. We plan to visit some gardens before starting our tour of the North Island. Below, the view of the city from Mount Eden and its crater. It's the highest peak in the city.

At the foot of Mount Eden, this very pretty garden features camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons and other endemic plants that contribute to the beauty of New Zealand gardens. It is located in a very pleasant residential area, right at the foot of Mount Eden.

Auckland's very large botanical garden, with its magnificent collection of camellias. It is divided into sectors, one of which is reserved for camellias. It is a Garden of Excellence ICS.

This garden is remarkable because it contains a large proportion of J.R. Finlay's fragrant hybrids, as well as the other, more common camellias in the collection. We visited the garden with the landscape architect who designed it, David Muir. All J.R. Finlay's new varieties will be listed in the Nomenclature. He is a Garden of Excellence ICS.

A very fine collection of camellias, including a magnificent C. impressinervis. There are also reticulata, japonica and hybrids, and a large area devoted to the camellia collection, with some large specimens.

We continue our journey. Here's a view of the ‘Three Sisters’, on the east coast of the North Island, near New Plymouth. The Three Sisters are the three rocks that stand out from the coast.

This is the camellia-growing region par excellence, home to the famous Jury Nursery, whose camellias are found throughout Europe, as are other New Zealand varieties. New Plymouth has some fine botanical gardens and superb specimens in the city and in the old cemeteries. The volcanic soil is very favourable to their cultivation and growth.

This is a very large botanical garden, with a large area of camellias. Most of them are reticulata. They are magnificent and very well pruned.

We discovered a vast botanical garden. There are many camellias, stretching around a large part of the garden. In season, there is also a magnificent rose garden. It's part of a very beautiful, extensive and friendly park in the centre of town.

A veritable conservatory of camellias. All the rigour and organisation of New Zealand in one garden. A simple QR code given at the entrance leads to a website listing all the camellias in the collection, classified by sector and each with a photo to help identify them. Each sector has a letter, and each camellia a number. Kia Ora', below, means “hello” in Maori.

This is the southernmost of the North Island's botanical gardens. It is in the town centre and on the mountainside. The camellia sector is in the lower part. As it is so extensive, you can also take the ‘Cable’ (the funicular railway) to reach the top of the garden and get a view of the city.

After touring the North Island, we made the crossing between Wellington and Picton to the north of the South Island. This one is much wilder. There are still camellia gardens to be discovered and there are always camellias in town and country gardens.

This very pretty little garden is in the centre of Nelson, in the very north of the South Island. It benefits from a very sunny location. Not to be missed when discovering the South Island.

Magnificent botanical garden in the city centre, with a beautiful camellia walk dedicated to ‘Kate Sheppard’, New Zealand's most famous and influential suffragette. The garden is huge and is next to Hagley Park. Both are on the route of the old Christchurch tramway, which provides a great way to explore the city and its history.

This is the last garden of our trip, the southernmost on the South Island, but so beautiful and so full of flowers. It is organised into sectors and contains a large collection of camellias from all over the world. Visit in mid-September to see it in all its splendour. A wonderful visit before leaving New Zealand. It is an ICS Garden of Excellence.

To conclude this page, here's one of the most beautiful landscapes in New Zealand, in the North Island. This is the Matamata countryside, home to a very famous village where the hospitality is remarkable and attracts visitors from all over the world.