♿ Tree ♿ Wheeling ♿ at Pukeiti (Taranaki) Virtual Cache

World famous Pukeiti Gardens is a jewel in the crown of the three notable Taranaki gardens along with Tupare in New Plymouth and Hollard Gardens in Kaponga, South Taranaki

In 2016 Chelsea Flower Show judge Christopher Bailes placed Puketi at number two in his personal top 10 of the world's best gardens in the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph.

Established in 1951 by Douglas Cook (of Eastwoodhill Arboretum in Gisborne), and others forming the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust, this Garden of National Significance is located adjacent to Egmont National Park - on the slopes of maunga Taranaki. Thousands of visitors every year marvel at the beauty of a world-class rhododendron collection within a rainforest, the sense of history and the stories of the land.

Now owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council, it has recently undergone extensive redevelopment of its facilities. The old timber weatherboard black and white iconic Gatehouse has been replaced with Founders Cafe and the Rainforest Centre. The Bublitz Education Centre and Kids Tree House Trail provide nature interactive education facilities. The many kilometres of well-formed tracks for either a garden walk or a longer adventure into the rainforest have also been upgraded including the Vireya Walk which starts under cover from the Rainforest Centre and includes an elevated "tree-top walkway".

The Pukeiti Stream lookout at the end of this canopy walk is the location of this Reward Virtual Cache.

To log this cache, answer these two questions...
1. How many steps descend from the lookout to the first landing?
2. What man-made object can you see looking South from the lookout?

Supported by the exotic garden, birdlife thrives in the rainforest and many native birds such as tui, bellbird, pigeon, fantail, waxeye, and cuckoo are seen or heard. The mountain streams contain some rare and endangered native fish.
Pukeiti's season starts in July with the first of the large-leaf rhododendrons flowering amongst the rainforest canopy. Camellias and the large magnolias follow. By October the garden is alive with colour from flower and foliage. Complementary herbaceous plantings, alpines, primulas, hostas and thousands of bulbs continue the display until the giant Himalayan lilies flower in December and fill the air with their honey scent. The hydrangea collection comes to a peak in mid- summer and on into autumn. Flowering a few times in one year - vireya rhododendrons provide year-round vibrancy and beauty in the Covered Exhibition Walks.

Pukeiti is open daily 9am – 5pm year round
(Note that last garden entry is 1 hour before closing time.)

Entry to Pukeiti is free