JULIET NICHOLAS/NZ GARDENER/Stuff
For more than 150 years, trees have sheltered the farm’s gardens from the winds beating across the Canterbury Plains.
Winchmore, a lush mid-Canterbury garden, dates back nearly 170 years. When, in 1853, a George Hart took up 8000 hectares of plains on the north bank of the Ashburton River and established Winchmore Station, one of the very first things he must have done was plant trees – wellingtonias and oaks – say current owners of the now 200ha run, Bob and Marg Verrall. For which Marg is very grateful. “In 1853, there would hardly have been a tree in the Canterbury Plains. He showed great foresight.”