Planning Your Day

We’re so excited to welcome you to the Jassy Dean Trust Waiheke Garden Festival! Here’s everything you need to know to help you make the most of the event. Please read it carefully.

Opening Times and Tickets: The gardens will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Show your e-ticket (either printed or on your phone) to a volunteer at any garden entrance to receive your wristband and program. Your wristband grants you access to all gardens throughout the weekend. Tickets will also be available for purchase at each garden entrance and are valid for both days.

Festival Program: The full festival program can be viewed online here. Please note, that you can visit the gardens in any order you choose.

Pre-festival Presentation: Local landscape designer Lyndell Shannon will share some of the trends and highlights of this year’s Chelsea Flower Show from 8.15-9.30am at the Placemakers Garden Centre, Ostend on Saturday 9th November.

Ferry Travel: Ferry traffic will be heavy, we highly recommend taking an earlier ferry than usual and arriving at least 45 minutes before departure. For Fullers bus tour ticket holders please arrive at the Downtown Ferry Terminal by 8:15am at the latest in order to catch the 9am ferry.

Transport: This is a self-drive event, but please consider carpooling as parking is extremely limited. Walking between gardens is encouraged where possible, and ebikes or scooters are a great option, too. We are offering a fantastic ebike package this year, click here to find out more.

Fuller360 bus tour: If you have booked the bus tour ensure you take the 9am ex Auckland ferry (or earlier ferry) to ensure you make the 10am bus departure from Matiatia ferry terminal. Volunteers will be stationed at the entrance to the ferry building and will provide your wristbands/programs and load you onto your bus. Buses will visit Gardens 1, 2, 3, 8, 10 and the Art Stop. Note: changes may apply on the day, we will try to squeeze in Garden 7 also. You will be returned to Matiatia ferry terminal in time to catch the 5pm ferry back to Auckland.

E-bike packages: If you have booked an ebike hire package, collect your ebike between 9am and midday from the eRide Waiheke shop located inside the Matiatia Ferry Terminal on the right. You must return your bike by 6pm that day. To view all the Gardens on Google Maps, click here.

Parking: Waiheke Island roads are very narrow and winding. Parking at nearly all gardens is restricted to roadside parking and is limited. Please follow instructions from our volunteer parking attendants and consider visiting another garden if parking fills up. Parking is extremely limited at Gardens 3, 7 and 10, and some others may require a short walk. There is no parking at Gardens 4 or 6 however shuttles are available (see below) We appreciate your patience in advance.

Gardens with no parking/shuttle access only: Cars cannot be parked on Scotts Terrace for Garden 4 or on Albert Crescent for Garden 6. These roads are too narrow and often one lane. Access to Garden 4 is via a continuous free shuttle bus from the Ostend Price Cutter (at the start of Albert Crescent) where you may park your car while you take the shuttle. Access to Garden 6 is via a continuous free shuttle bus from the intersection next to Onetangi Hall on Waiheke Road.

Safety: Please take care while exploring these beautiful private gardens. Some areas will have uneven or slippery surfaces, so we kindly ask that you watch your step and take responsibility for your own safety. Most gardens have steep slopes so please take extra care and ensure you wear suitable footwear. In particular, Gardens 5 and 10 have steep driveways you will need to walk down and up and Garden 7 is a 5 minute walk from the roadside parking. Only Gardens 2 and 8 are suitable for wheelchair access.

Food & Music: Enjoy morning tea, coffee and scones at Garden 2 with music from piano accordionist Pauline Stewart. Enjoy a light lunch and licensed bar at Garden 8 with some wonderful live music between 12-2pm each day. Local duo Alex Ludbrook and Peter Reilly will perform jazzy/soulful classics on Saturday and the much-loved four-piece band Sirens on Sunday. The perfect spot to relax and re-fuel. For the full food & beverage offer, click here. EFTPOS available where food/drinks are served.

Children: Children under the age of 14 years are FREE and welcome. Please note most of the gardens are not suitable for pushchairs.

Pets: Please leave your pets at home as they are not allowed in these private gardens.

Toilets: Gardens 3, 8, and 10 have visitor toilets and public toilets are also marked on the festival map and in the program.

Weather: There is no rain date for the festival. It will go ahead rain, hail or shine so please dress according to the weather conditions. 😊

Festival Ticket Terms and Conditions: Attendance at the Waiheke Garden Festival indicates your agreement with our festival terms and conditions. Please review these by clicking here.

See you there!