Trelinnoe Park Garden on market

Tourist favourite Trelinnoe Park Garden is for sale.

An English-styled garden, visited by hundreds each year, could become English-owned if the right buyer crops-up in the international marketing of Te Pohue paradise Trelinnoe Park Garden, northwest of Napier.

Established by the late John and Fiona Wills, who died less than a month apart late last year, the 13ha property's sale is being extensively promoted in England, says son Bruce Wills.

On the market is the garden and its cafe, but the Wills family will retain the 1100ha Trelinnoe farm which adjoins the garden, home to thousands of trees.

The farm, which Bruce runs with brother Scott, is not for sale.

Despite the garden's popularity with tour groups, Mr Wills is not expecting a quick sale, saying: "It's early days yet."

Deciding to sell had been difficult, especially with the mystery of his mother's disappearance on December 9. Suffering from Alzheimer's she is thought to have wandered off while feeding her chickens. Extensive searches have found no trace of her, and a memorial service was held last month.

Mr Wills said proposals to sell the garden park had been around for some years as the family contemplated its future.

"It's a big job," said Mr Wills, who had managed the garden for the last three years, while running the farm, and, until last year, serving as national president of Federated Farmers. A covenant is in place to ensure that the garden remains the "national treasure" it had become. "It is an internationally-recognised botanical collection," he said, conceding he had no idea what it might be worth financially. "When it is sold, there won't be anyone coming in with bulldozers and chainsaws cutting it all down the next day."

"We would have loved to have hung on," he said. "But it was developed by Mother and Father. It was their garden. It's for the next generation."