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On the third Saturday in November every year, thousands of people converge on the Wilson family’s award-winning private garden at their Kimbolton farm for the Cross Hills Gardens Country Fair.
Now in its 17th year, the fair has become a highly anticipated annual fixture on the Manawatū event calendar, as guests flock to enjoy the floral haven and indulge in shopping at 215 stalls.
Home to Ange and Scott Wilson and their two boys, Henry, 17, and Eddie, 14, the diversified business includes the original sheep and beef operation, the gardens and a plant nursery.
The fair was the brainchild of Ange, but the gardens and nursery at the Kimbolton farm are a proud part of the Wilson family legacy, reaching back to Scott’s grandfather Eric. Forward-thinking garden lover Eric saw the value in diversifying their operation back in 1970, planting a large collection of rhododendrons after noticing how well they thrived in the environment.
At 600 metres above sea level, the 240 hectare sheep and beef farm provides the perfect breeding ground for rhododendrons, which like the cold, Ange said.
Since Eric’s original vision, the gardens have flourished and 7 hectares of park-like garden are now home to over 2000 varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas, bursting into colour each spring.
“Scott’s grandfather bought the property back in 1938. He always thought he couldn’t just farm, you had to diversify. He had a passion for gardens and travelled a lot. He visited Canada and went to the Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island, which really inspired them to come home and create this.”
Cross Hills boasts 7 hectares of award-winning park-like garden, open to the public. Photo: Anthony Young
On returning home, they planted the rhododendrons and Cross Hills became the first private garden to be open to the public in New Zealand, where people paid to visit. Soon, people wanted to purchase the rhododendrons, and the nursery began with Scott’s parents, Rodney and Faith.
The nursery is now one of the country’s largest specialised growers of rhododendrons and azaleas, when it comes to varieties on offer.
Ange said she wasn’t a gardener, but she has come to appreciate the beautiful blooms the garden produces each year. Her favourite rhododendron variety is Dad’s Indian Summer.
“Honestly, every time I go out, I see something different. I love pinks and corals, the vintage colours. They are all pretty in their own way,” she said.
“I was a business analyst and had my own company. I always worked off farm. When I was pregnant with Henry, I had to down tools for a year or so. He was born in November and as a baby I used to take him walking in the garden when it was in flower. I knew we were going to be taking over and thought there was an opportunity to have a fair and bring people to Cross Hills.”
She began planning the first fair and it blossomed from there. Her boys have never known anything different; the fair has been a constant in their lives, and they are a huge help.
“They know the property like the back of their hand. It’s a real family effort. We are essentially turning Cross Hills into an event venue for the day, there’s so much that goes into things like roading plans, logistics, and parking, which is a good fundraiser for the local school.”
They have had to cap the number of stalls at 215 and Ange is careful about the range of goods, spending countless hours carefully curating the offering. In all, 4000 to 5000 people converge on the farm for the eagerly anticipated fair.
The Wilson family, Ange, Scott and sons Henry, 17, and Eddie, 14. Photo: Shaun Jeffers
“People pay to come and see the gardens and the stalls; it has to be quality.”
Although she rarely has time to sit back and soak in the atmosphere on fair day, she says it is a buzz to share their property with the public.
“It’s lovely to share it with groups who might not normally come through. It opens the property to a whole different genre of people, that’s exciting.”
She also gets a kick out of helping the businesses that exhibit to showcase their products. Many of their stall holders return year on year.
She encourages visitors to take the time to appreciate the gardens, which are right at their peak for this year’s fair.
“The timing is amazing. Appreciate the colour. It’s lovely to take your lunch in there and chill out. Have some time out to put your feet up in between shopping.”
Ange describes the business as a hybrid operation. With the farm being relatively small, diversification is key to being viable and supporting two families. The fair is just one important cog in the overall business operation.
“There’s a lot going on at different times, we are busy all year round. October is hectic, as we are docking, selling plants and the gardens are open, so everything has to look immaculate. Once the fair is done, the focus moves back to the farm.”
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