Discover this wonderfully peaceful sanctuary in the heart of Auckland.
Who we are Memorials
Ever changing colours with the seasons makes Eden Garden a delightful place to visit throughout the year.
Events Support Us
Known as Auckland's 'hidden gem', come and discover our stunning memorial garden in the heart of Auckland. Developed by volunteers, Eden Garden has become an award-winning destination with beautiful plant collections that always provide something in bloom. Use of eco-friendly methods to control weeds encourages a thriving bio-diversity to encourage native fauna, geckos, wetas, insects, birds and butterflies.
So come and visit the garden for some inspiration and fresh air - we are open from Tuesday - Sunday 9am - 4pm.
As a not-for-profit organisation funding has been badly affected due to COVID-19 and we need support to keep our Garden open and ensure families can continue to celebrate the lives of loved ones. Support can be given through garden entry, memorials, room hire, donations and bequests.
Eden Garden as we know it, on the slopes of Auckland's Mt Eden, had its beginnings in July 1964. A history of its very early days would go back more than 20,000 years, when the site of Auckland today was a field of about forty active volcanos. In more recent times, following the founding of Auckland in 1840, most of the cones were quarried and taken to build the city which has risen where once they stood. A quarry on Mt Eden, abandoned in 1928, was later purchased by a city business man, Sir Frank Mappin, as an addition to his neighbouring estate. When, in 1962, Sir Frank presented his home to the nation as a vice-regal residence, the Government of the day rejected the old quarry, not an overgrown wilderness, as an eyesore and embarrassment. Two years later, a far-sighted horticulturist, Mr Jack Clark, with fifteen fellow enthusiasts, took on the task of converting it into a garden. What you see today is the results of his vision.
Developed by volunteer workers who give freely of their time maintaining established areas, planning and working on further development, Eden Garden is now a national showplace. (Most of the Garden paths you tread commemorate Society members, prominent in that development.) Today, the 5.5 acres (2.25 hectare) Garden features mature trees and flowering shrubs with splendid collections of camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons.
JANUARY - Jacaranda, Russelia, Hibiscus, Brunfelsias, Fuchsias
FEBRUARY - Hibiscus, Bouganvillea, Luculia
MARCH - Sasanqua Camellias, Hibiscus
APRIL - Sasanqua Camellias, Autumn foliage
MAY - Sasanqua Camellias, Autumn foliage, Azaleas, Daphne
JUNE - Japonica Camellias, Azaleas, Daphne
JULY - Japonica Camellias, Azaleas, Daphne, Prunus campanulata (Taiwan cherries), Reticulata Camellias, Michelia
AUGUST - Japonica Camellias, Reticulata Camellias, Azaleas, Michelia, Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Pieris
SEPTEMBER - Cedrela sinesis (Toon Trees), Camellias, Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Acers (Maples), Flowering Cherries, Azaleas, Xeronema (Poor Knight's Lily), Clivias
OCTOBER - Rhododendrons, Grevilleas, Proteas, Cedrela sinensis (Toon Trees), Xeronema (Poor Knight's Lily), Clivias, Talauma, Acers (Maples)
NOVEMBER - Pohutakawas, Hymenosporum, Water lilies, Grevilleas, Arthropodium (Reinga Lily), Brunfelsias (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow)
DECEMBER - Pohutakawas, Water lilies, Arthropodium (Reinga Lily), Fuschias, Brunfelsias (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow)
We have many plants for sale on our shelves outside the Reception building including a special delivery, kindly donated to us from Zealandia Nursery. We will be stocked up with our own plants too, including our stunning Tulips, Hyacinths, Swan plants, Succulents, Vireya Rhododendrons and even some Stag Horns. As our regulars know, our sale plants are healthy and well-priced!
Make the most of visiting the garden with an exclusive membership! We have a variety of memberships on offer that can cater from a single person to a group of 4 people! There are also benefits of being a member too with a free tea or coffee with food on Tuesdays!
You may memorialise a shrub, a tree or a rock in the Garden and your loved ones ashes will be interred at the site or near the memorial. If you choose the Memorial Wall the ashes of your loved one will be placed in an unmarked site in the garden.
Spend an hour, half a day or longer at Eden Garden. There are many paths to discover – we have a childrens trail activity sheet and a café for a well earned stop.
We are a five minute drive from Newmarket and Mt Eden village. We have plenty of free parking on site. Alternatively, we are a 15 minute walk from Newmarket and Manukau Road with plenty of bus stops.
The central area is mostly flat for easy walking and wheelchair access. Elsewhere, particularly on the edge of the old quarry, some paths are steep and rocky and suitable footwear should be worn.
Umbrellas and wheelchairs are available to borrow from Reception.
Guided tours with a member of the garden staff can be arranged. Please call Reception at 09 638 8395 or email us for more information.
The Floral Arts Society of Auckland were invited to create some artistic, quirky Christmas tree exhibits. There were at least 10 displays through out the garden, created by members of different Floral Art clubs around Auckland. It was a great day out, with an adventure trail through the garden sponsored by Kings Seeds. Our resident […]
We had a very successful event for the Christmas wreath demonstration on Thursday 11th December. Plenty of members and general public were interested in the wreath making and was a full house! We are very grateful to the floral art ladies that gave up their valuable time for this popular event. We hope we can […]
Eden Garden had a book signing event by artist and photographer Sally Tagg for her new book ‘Sanctuary In Nature’. She compiled this limited edition gift book during Covid 19 Lockdown as a celebration of nature. This will make a wonderful gift for anyone who admires plants flowers and nature in an artistic way. This […]
