The large street gardens have been planted at a rate of four per square metre, creating a fuller than usual look of natives like Kōwhai, Rewarewa, and Harakeke in the new Te Awamutu retirement community.

Arvida National Manager Ground and Gardens, Renee Walsh says their greenscape plan was to be strategic with chosen native plants and to benefit local wildlife.

“Many of the native plants we chose will attract birds. Our intention is to have a range of flowering times throughout the year because we wanted the planting to look impressive straight away,” Renee says.

The impressive villa gardens feature flowering perennial shrubs such as Rhododendron, Azalea and Camellia.

With the first residents settling into their new villas, Arvida Whai Mauri Ora Village Manager, Jenny Fraser says the feedback on the gardens has been very positive.

“Oh the feedback on the landscaped gardens has been wonderful, especially when they realise they won’t have to do the weeding or mowing!”