Garden tourists head for Thames

There is some room left in Meonstoke House and Garden at Thames, but only for wandering. While there's no chance of a spare bed, tourists can make an appointment to explore the intensively planted garden, which escaped the floods, and the rooms filled with the owners' collections.

Fine china, dolls and dolls' houses, teddy bears and pictures fill every room, while the garden shows that nature can reclaim almost any earth - it was established 30 years ago on old mining wastes.

Contact: Book visits and tours of Meonstoke House and Garden on ph/fax (07) 868 6560, email rskeet@xtra.co.nz