Otahuna Lodge named "A Garden of National Significance"

The gardens of the prestigious Otahuna Lodge outside Christchurch have been awarded “nationally
significant” status by the New Zealand Gardens Trust. The Trust is the only organization of its kind
in New Zealand and its leading horticultural team assesses gardens based upon a number of rigorous
requirements. Thirty gardens hold the designation and Otahuna Lodge is the only luxury hotel
property in New Zealand to have such recognition.

The spectacular 110-year old gardens of Otahuna Lodge were designed initially by noted garden
designer, A.E. Lowe, who trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Today, the 30-acre grounds
are comprised of several primary areas including: a sweeping Great Lawn; the “Dutch Garden” with
its formal buxus hedging and prized exotic tree specimens; a vast working garden from which over
140 varieties of fruits, nuts and vegetables are sourced; and several acres of rambling, semi-wild
woodland gardens.

Since the purchase of Otahuna Lodge by Hall Cannon and Miles Refo in 2006, a sizable team
overseen by Estate Manager Dave Kilday and Head Gardner Steve Marcham have worked to
revitalize numerous areas of the property’s gardens. The team has worked diligently to honour the
vision of the property’s founder, Sir Heaton Rhodes, and has redeveloped features including: a
Victorian glasshouse; the original reflecting lake; and the ornamental woodland frog pond. Most
notably, the tradition of Daffodil Day at Otahuna has been re-instated with the Lodge’s grounds
open to the public in early September to witness one of New Zealand’s largest daffodil fields.

“While the property has already won many awards since it opened in May 2007, this one is quite
unique,” says Hall Cannon. “We are delighted that our exceptional team of gardeners is being
recognized now by the New Zealand Gardens Trust for their hard work and vision. It is very high
praise indeed that they have garnered this honour for Otahuna within only a period of three years.”