Three North Island places to pick daffodils and enjoy spring blooms
In a picturesque small country village is a place where spring is warmly welcome. Nodding daffodils herald the end of winter blues flourishing in the Waikato. Clandon, a commercial grower, gives visitors a rare opportunity to wander among daffodil fields and hear the daffodil story. You will go home with a bunch of daffodils, perhaps a potted version of the glorious daffodils and bulbs for planting next season. Take a tour of Clandon, explore Gordonton and enjoy a spring day trip to the countryside.
A spring day trip from Wellington is not complete without participating in Carterton Daffodil Sunday where the historic Middlerun opens the property to visitors to pick bunches of daffodils. Street markets and local art exhibitions round out the day’s entertainment.
Waipukara, in the Central Hawkes Bay has a Spring Fling Festival welcoming spring daffodils. What a great reason to explore a little known region of New Zealand.
CLANDON – DAFFODIL CENTRAL TOURS
Gordonton is the home of daffodil central where the world is over 21 acres of nodding yellow spring joy. Clandon is in the epicentre for daffodils, North Island with over 21 acres of commercial blooms. There are over 1000 varieties grown at Clandon Daffodils. You know you’ve got to the right place when a cute stand selling daffodils comes into view. The cut blooms are soaking their toes in their metal buckets and tempting potted daffodils are an impulse buy away.
Take a tour of the endless rows of daffodils and ponder the fact that pickers bent up and down continually cutting flowers and bunching all the sunshine yellow we adore.
TOURS
Tours are $10 (you get a bunch of daffodils per person) with a minimum of five people per pre-booked tour. Hear about the life of a daffodil grower.
Needed
Sturdy boots, gumboots, umbrella as daffodils do not mind the rainy days. The ground is flat and can be uneven. Tours are approximately one hour.
2022 Tours available:
- 11 – 30 July,
- 1 – 13 August,
- 1 – 20 September
Book tours:
Please contact Ian:
027 2133371
bulbdigger@gmail.com
What to do nearby
Check out What’s so great about Gordonton
- Cafes
- Alpaca farm
- Woodlands historic garden & 19th century cricket pavilion
GETTING THERE
AUCKLAND
HAMILTON
TAURANGA
CARTERTON DAFFODIL FESTIVAL
Carterton is officially a daffodil town… with the Carterton Daffodil Festival Sunday 12 September 2021 9.00 am to 3.30 pm.
What’s so great about Carterton highlights the cheerful glorious spring daffodil Sunday as a must do activity. Located in the Wairarapa, Carterton Daffodil Sunday Festive is a drawcard for Wellington locals and a few souls from the Hawkes Bay. Think about a weekend in Wellington and join the fun in the Wairarapa.
The street is transformed into a market day with stalls throughout the town, horse drawn rides, the Big Wai Art sale and the favourite activity picking daffodils. The street market is a drawcard for local artists, live entertainment and food stalls from as far afield as Wellington.
Rain does not dampen the spirits with people prepared with their umbrellas and wet weather gear.
Daffodil Express Steam Train
Another popular transport option is the Daffodil Express, an historic steam train from Wellington. The train is operated by Steam Incorporated. For train buffs there is an opportunity to join the train at Masterton and ride the rails to Carterton. For further information contact the Carterton Railway Museum.
MIDDLERUN DAFFODILS
Carterton caters for people who have used the train with free buses shuttling visitors to the historic property of Middlerun to pick daffodils. Free buses transport people throughout the day starting at 10am from Broadway Street. A small fee is charged to pick the daffodils with all proceeds going to the local charities Plunket and St John.
TIP
Cash payment is preferred and always a good idea for market stalls.
Sponsors
The Festival is organised by the Carterton District Council. The Street Markets are proudly supported & coordinated by the Lions Club of Carterton.
NOTE
The ‘Middle Run’ daffodils, planted over 100 hundred years ago have raised many thousands of dollars for the Carterton Plunket Society and Daffodil Day had became so much part of the way of life in Carterton that in 1995 mayor Georgina Beyer successfully laid claim to the town being the Daffodil Capital of New Zealand
SPRING FLING – HAWKES BAY
Waipukura has a spring fling festival where the daffodil has a star rating. There is a paddock (field) of yellow glory and the Taniwha gardens with their 20 acres of daffodils is open every day in September. The parklands invite visitors to pick your own bunch.
1 September – 2 November 2019
The classic spring is the arrival of blooms chasing the chill of winter away. A daffodil paddock (field), and Central Hawke’s Bay entices visitors to linger and explore the district. Taniwha gardens is an outstanding daffodil explosion of 20 acres of golden blooms. The gardens have free entry that’s open every day in September. Wander through the parklands, enjoy some warm country hospitality and pick your own bunch to take home.
Taniwha Daffodils is part of The Spring Fling capturing the essence of spring. Create wonderful memories as you indulge your passion for art, food, wine, shopping, cycling or the great outdoors, in gorgeous events at historic homesteads, on scenic coastal walks and boutique markets.
For more to do in the region check out Waipukurau / Waipawa what’s so great about the town.
GETTING THERE
Auckland options include
- Leisurely North Island road trip, check for ideas
- Fly to Wellington or Hawkes Bay and rent a vehicle
South Island visitors
- Fly to Wellington or Hawkes Bay and rent a vehicle
WHERE TO STAY
Waipukurau Motels – Fergussons Motor Lodge – Waipukurau Motor Lodge is great for family groups as well as solo travellers. Book beforehand to avoid disappointment.
Unique journeys, personal adventures.
