What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 9am - 5pm

Welton House

Name: Welton House
Address: 10 Staces Road, Grovetown, 7202, NZ
Telephone: 021 323 358
Rating: 5

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Welton House

A 150 year old New Zealand Garden of National Significance, 5 minutes from Blenheim open for visits

14/04/2025

A very black Piwakawaka/Fantail enjoying a luncheon yesterday on the wheki or skirt of Cyathea smithii. We have troops of Piwakawaka at Welton and lately they are becoming darker and darker with no white feathers whatsoever. Irresistibly magical.

Some years ago we began leaving the wheki on our many Dicksoniana fibrosis which is called Wheki Ponga in te reo. Their wheki are pretty tulip shaped skirts.

After a while I began to see the beauty in all wheki and decided every ponga should keep theirs at Welton. This smithii is in a very prominent place outside my glass door at the end of my long hallway and its lacy fronds are more delicate than dicksoniana. It has taken some years for the ratty, dangly mess to bulk up to a more eye pleasing arrangement. And here now is my reward - daily Piwakawaka tv!

It makes my heart swell knowing that that decision and years of some unsightliness have created an unexpected haven of biodiversity on a previously barren trunk. I now find trimmed Ponga somehow uncomfortable. Their exposed naked trunks just look wrong. It feels almost cruel.

However each to their own is always my mantra but I’m won’t trunk trim again.

17/03/2025

A morning that must be shared!

16/03/2025

Exciting news! Eliza’s has been named a Bach of the
Year! We’re incredibly honored and grateful to our amazing guests whose unforgettable stays and glowing reviews made this possible.

12/01/2025

Todays early morning snaps of the multiple, long awaited Lilium auratum flowers and a very normal first flower on a weird hybrid San Pedro Cactus. You watch them fattening and fattening further until finally one morning they just are there! Such excitement.

Ross and I have been practising on auratums for 3, maybe even nearly 4, decades and here, at long last, on a manky piece of sand and rubble they have found their happy place which of course is now my very happy place. It doesn’t completely fulfil the fantasy of seeing them growing in the wild but for the time being it will do.

31/12/2024

Good morning 2025! I am very pleased to meet you and all you promise.

Wishing everyone a year filled with joy, adventure and many gardens.

13/12/2024

Late spring florabunda captured by Simon Rickard a fortnight ago has passed and the tawniness of summer has begun to seep in as our hot days have arrived early.

The green tranquillity of the woodland/ngahere has become a favourite place to pause as the temperature begins to nudge the thirties.

The birds quieten in the hot afternoons keeping their fledglings afoot and safe until the cool of evening allows them to spread their baby wings.

Soon I will see our first young Tuis en famille learning under the guidance of their father where the best of our bespoke Tui larder is found. The red and purple kahikatea berries outside my bedroom window are often first choice and I can quietly observe this brief moment of magic.

Holiday makers have begun to be occupy on a permanent basis bringing a change of mood to the farm as they relax into family time. Squeals of fun can be heard in the distance as they splash in the pool and play cricket, football or croquet on the long lawn; maximising the long days.

Out in the industrial garden, our vineyard, the infant grape bunches are copious and wondrously large promising a bumper and hopefully early harvest.

Summer! My god I love it.

07/12/2024

Deliciously floriferous on the front veranda captured beautifully by Simon Rickard a week or so ago when he guided a charming Botanica group through Welton. Simon is the definition of the modern renaissance man - not only does he have a botanical brain to rival , he is an exceptional musician, has an amazing garden himself, is clearly treasured as a guide and generously gifts his photographic talents! I’m sure there’s more amazing talents that I yet to discover. He’s just that sort of person. Oh and I forgot he’s fantastic company! Thank you Simon. Please come back whenever you want. There’s always a bed for you my friend.

05/12/2024

Our journey at Welton House began with keys finally in hand my lovely father, Pat Palmer, turned up with his most favourite of seats. I was astonished - what on earth was he doing? This art nouveau cast iron bench had long sat on Pat’s verandah and was an essential part of his daily lunchtime sun worship. I told him to get it back home toute suite!

Quietly he told me he was returning it to its rightful home as it had come from Welton and was gifted to him many years prior. It belonged here and it was important to him that it continued to do so. In a 1910 photo it sat on Welton’s first bull nosed verandah now long gone.

It is placed in this wee garden in remembrance of Dad where, with train track in sight, he can forever count the train wagons. This habit was acquired at his father’s feet - a simple glimpse of the wellbeing of the economy. And in Pat’s charming, determined and persuasive way he taught his children and grandchildren to do so too.

Pat is buried in the hills beyond in a gravesite visible on clear days. Mum, Patsy Palmer, lies by his side.

This is one way our family celebrates whakapapa. The literal translation is to place in layers, to create a foundation but like many te reo words it has itself many layers. It is generally referring to genealogy but is much more than that to us.

As part of our kaitiakitanga (guardianship) we celebrate all the stories of our place. It is an essential part of our story too; human and flora. It is a continuous reminder of our privilege and responsibility. It enables gratitude.

Through sharing the garden my father, James Maclean Palmer, is forever with me. Bravo Dad.

29/11/2024

A for Amazing! Team. Photo by Simon Rickard as he lead a lovely group from Botanica through Welton. Thanks Botanica and Simon. You make it all worthwhile.

10/11/2024

The most intense and fabulous week of the year has come to an end. Hundreds of engaging garden geeks have wandered through our gates and charmed us with their passion and knowledge of plants and gardening. Of course it takes a village but in our case an A for Amazing Team of very hardworking helpers. In the group photo from left to right Issy Matt Jen (who thought she was leaving her 6 star garden to have a relaxing time at Garden Marlborough - how silly we both were!) and Jessie. Missing in action in the photo is but present in most of these beautiful shots he gave us. A ginormous thanks A Team! My super thanks goes to my bro - plant genius extraordinaire with 1000 Wikipedia’s of knowledge in that head; People constantly ask how it works between us. To be honest I have no exact answer. Somehow we have a deep, identical connection to plants, place and philosophy. My best guess is it’s a random genetic similarity that has enabled us to collaborate on 5 gardens with 3 of those still in creation on this farm. We have a lot more in our brains not yet realised! And not to be forgotten are the Alzheimers team lead by Pauline who charmingly fed and watered our guests. Lastly to our D for Doglettes, Dustin and Dot who faithfully welcomed and farewelled our guests on board the bus whether the obliging bus drivers liked it or not! And thank you to the board and management team plus your phenomenal volunteer’s who made this week a triumph.

Address

10 Staces Road
Grovetown
7202

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

021 323 358

Website

http://www.weltonhouse.co.nz/

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