Medieval quest seeks donations for latest time travel experience
Hamilton Gardens enthusiasts now have the opportunity to support the completion of its Medieval Garden, the next new time-travel experience at the city’s premier visitor attraction.
A fundraising campaign to raise $300,000 needed to complete the new themed space has been launched by Momentum Waikato, the region’s community foundation.
The design of the Medieval Garden will be based on the ruins of the St John of the Hermits Monastery in Sicily, made up of a ‘Cloister Garth’ for prayer and meditation and an ‘Apothecary Garden’ for growing medicinal herbs and healing plants.
Peter Sergel, the founding director and visionary designer of Hamilton Gardens, says each of its existing and planned gardens represents a major transformation point in history, with the Medieval Garden representing the spread of Christianity.
“Three particular aspects will be reflected in the Medieval Garden, one is the piety, study and prayer, second was protection and looking after strangers, and the third was superstition, particularly around geometry and maths and numbers.”
“The Medieval world has inspired all sorts of fiction, including science fiction films, because it was a strange brutal world with all sorts of magic and mystery,” says Sergel.
The monastery spaces of the Medieval Garden will ultimately be one of four gardens on site reflecting the philosophies of the world’s major religions, the others being Islam via the Indian Char Bagh Garden, Buddhism via the Japanese Garden, and Hinduism via the planned Vedic Garden.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.2% Human-centred experience and communication
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15% Critical thinking
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29.9% Resilience and adaptability
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2.9% Other - I will share below!
Music in the Gardens
Waipahihi Botanical Reserve - Sunday 15 March - 11am to 1pm.
Local musicians - a variety of music - Brass Band, Concert Band, Philippine Cultural Group, Bliss songsters, bagpipes. Bring a picnic, deck chair/rug, activities for children, $ for donation, sizzled sausage, coffee by Bubu.
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