These beautiful gardens, just outside of greater Auckland, have been described as 'the quintessential New Zealand garden'.

It's a big wrap, but they manage to live up to it.  

The very extensive gardens were started in 1964 by Beverley McConnell and her late husband Malcolm, owners of a large construction firm.

They wanted to create an informal country garden and have clearly succeeded. The trees are now fully established and give the garden a sense of maturity and completeness, especially in autumn when the colours are quite magnificent.

There is a resemblance to the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall, UK in that both are a little ‘un-tamed’ and make excellent use of the topography to create an ever unfolding vista for the visitor.  But Ayrlies has the benefit of a South Pacific climate so the mix of plants are more varied and exotic.

A good garden has got to make you want to look around corners, you can't see it all at once. Bev McConnell's father.

We wanted to create a seasonal garden where the challenge is still to have some plant or vista at its best every week of the year; a garden where still ponds and cascades of water create a sense of tranquility; a garden filled with moments of drama and lots of heady perfume. (Beverley McConnell)

The garden has three picturesque lakes, with streams joining each.

There are a host of inspirationally planted borders containing brightly coloured flowers and other classic 'cottage style' borders featuring old world plants like roses, clematis and rhododendrons.

Below the garden there is a large wetland area linking the garden to the waters of the Hauraki Gulf.

The New Zealand Gardens Trust has ranked Ayrlies as a garden of international significance, their top honour.

NOTE: The gardens have many steps and some of the slopes are quite steep.