Hamilton Gardens Medieval Garden progresses as fundraising for final $300,000 get under way

A concept drawing of Hamilton Gardens' Medieval Garden.

The next historic garden at the Hamilton Gardens is $300,000 away from completion.

The Medieval Garden, currently under development, is part of the $12 million Hamilton Gardens Development Programme which also includes the new entry precinct, the Ancient Egyptian Garden, which opened in May 2022, and the Pasifika and Baroque Gardens which are also currently under development.

The Medieval Garden has an estimated total budget of $2.2 million, but the majority of this has already been funded. Now, community foundation Momentum Waikato launched a campaign to raise $300,000 which is needed to complete the garden.

The design of the Medieval Garden is based on the ruins of the St John of the Hermits Monastery in Sicily, Italy, which is made up of a so-called Cloister Garth for prayer and meditation and an Apothecary Garden for growing medicinal herbs and healing plants.

The Medieval Garden is set to be located at the western end of the theme gardens, adjacent to the Mansfield Garden, and would measure around 610sq m.

Hamilton Gardens designer Peter Sergel said each of the gardens at Hamilton Gardens represented a major transformation point in history, with the Medieval Garden representing the spread of Christianity.

A concept drawing of the Medieval Garden at Hamilton Gardens.

“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.”

Once completed, the monastery spaces of the Medieval Garden would be one of three gardens reflecting the world’s major religions - Islam is reflected in the Indian Char Bagh Garden and Buddhism via the Japanese Garden.

Hinduism would be reflected in the Vedic Garden which is just a proposal at this stage.

Sergel said apart from spreading Christianity, the Medieval times were significant for another reason.

“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.”

Momentum Waikato chief executive Simon Wickham added the Medieval Garden will be another “exciting” space that will further enhance the experience of Hamilton Gardens.

”If you’ve been visiting Hamilton Gardens over the years you’ll have a growing sense of wonder as each new fascinating space is added, it really is becoming everywhere you want to visit all in one place.”

Other proposed gardens include a Roman Portico Garden, a 16th-century Dutch Renaissance botanic garden and a New York-style roof garden.

Donations of any size towards the completion of the Medieval Garden can be made at momentumwaikato.nz/hamiltongardens.