Blossom Valley is held at Aston Norwood Gardens just off SH2 in Kaitoke 1747 State Highway 2 Kaitoke, Wellington View map
Info
Aston Norwood Gardens does not have direct public transport. The nearest station is Upper Hutt Train Station. From there, we are a 14 minute drive. We recommend carpooling with friends / family, or alternatively booking transport with Capital Shuttles.
Capital Shuttles have cars that you can book anywhere from 1 person, to a 54 person bus if you are a large group looking to visit. They can also arrange shuttles from our of town, such as Palmerston North, Wairarapa, and even Hawkes Bay.
Yes, stay the night right in the heart of the blossoms by booking one of 5 onsite chalets looking out over the gardens but you will need to be quick. Bookings can be made via our ticketing website, https://blossomvalley.flicket.co.nz/
Entrance to the gardens for both day and night sessions is included in the accommodation rate.
For other great accommodations options nearby, take a look at sites such as booking.com, airbnb.com. You can also book a hotel in Wellington city, and make your way to Aston Norwood via the train to Upper Hutt Station, and then via your choice of Rideshare / Capital Shuttles.
Short answer - yes, especially for weekends. There is a limit on how many people we can accommodate for each session time based on the amount of car parking we have available. Last year, on a sunny weekend we became so busy that we had to turn away hundreds of cars who had not pre-purchased tickets, because we do not have the car park capacity. Parking will always be priortised for those who have purchased tickets online, and if we can see a sunny weekend coming up, we will likely set it strictly to pre purchased tickets only. You can view the ticket website to see if there are tickets available for your prefered date. The popularity of the blossoms has grown massively over the last few years and while we have increased capacity by opening up additional car parking to accommodate the influx of visitors we still need to ensure that cars can get on and off SH2 safely. The best way to achieve this is to implement ticketed sessions time so car parks capacities are not exceeded and everyone visiting the gardens can have a memorable experience and can get home safely. Head to the tickets page now so you don’t miss out!
There is approximately 1km of track to see the whole gardens. Taking into account time to stop and admire the blossoms and the many vantage spots for a great photo we recommend allowing 1 ½ to 2 hours for the full experience including time to picnic under the blossoms.
Blossom Valley is suitable for people of all ages however there are some areas of uneven terrain, steps and steep inclines to overcome so a good level of mobility is required to see the whole gardens. We also ask that children are supervised, and everyone sticks to the marked track at all times.
Unfortunately, there are challenges in adapting the paths at Aston Norwood Gardens to be fully accessible. There are areas of uneven terrain, steps and steep inclines which may prove difficult. We are working on ways we can make this event more accessible so everyone can enjoy the beauty of the blossoms.
Of course! You will have the opportunity to purchase food from a tasty Asian inspired menu from the onsite café or the outlets out in the gardens themselves for a magical picnic under the blossoms experience. Hot drinks and snacks will also be available.
The normal café menu will not be offered on throughout the event.
Pre purchase is needed for the blossom high tea, grazing platters, or devonshire tea - purchase on our ticket site.
For those with dietary requirements, most requirements can be catered for within the menu on offer. Bringing your own food/picnics is not permitted however will allow those with very specific dietary requirements to bring your own food.
The event will go ahead in most conditions however if conditions get to a point where it is not safe to proceed, a cancellation may be made, and ticket holders will be notified via the email provided at time of booking. Updates will also be made via the Facebook page.
During the busier times, parking wardens will be onsite to direct you to available parking. For the quieter weekday sessions please find a car park in the main car park out front of the Café and Function Centre building.
Parking on SH2 is strictly prohibited.
That’s really a question for mother nature. Keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for regular updates on how the Blossoms are tracking. Data from previous years would indicate the bloom to be at peak September 21st to 30th. Some blossoms bloom earlier or later than others so a great display can still be seen either side of these weeks.
Blossom Valley After Dark is a chance to see the blossoms in a whole new light. A light trail through a portion of the gardens will be lit up at night offering a completely different experience to the daytime. For 2024, we are offering After Dark both before and after the cherry blossoms bloom.
The tasty café menu will still be able to enjoy under the lit-up canopy of pink.
Prize consists of:
Return Economy Class flights for two flying Air New Zealand from any Air New Zealand serviced domestic airport to Tokyo.
Flights will need to booked prior to 30 November 2024
Travel will need to be completed prior to 30 June 2024. Travel during NZ school and public holidays are not permitted.
Travel not valid within 4 weeks of booking and are subject to flight and booking class availability.
The winner will be responsible for all other expenses related to the prize.
The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash and is redeemable on Air New Zealand services only
Once booking confirmed no changes are permitted
All prize travel is subject to Air New Zealand’s Conditions of Carriage, to view visit https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/conditions-of-carriage
Prize travel is not eligible to accrue Airpoints Dollars™, Status Points or frequent flyer points under any other carrier’s loyalty program
Other conditions may apply and will be advised at the time of booking
Neither Air New Zealand nor any other person or party associated with this competition shall be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever suffered (including but not limited to indirect or consequential loss) or personal injury suffered or sustained in connection with either participation in this promotion or with any prizes offered.
You are responsible for obtaining all required travel documents and visas and for complying with all country entry/transit requirements.
If the prize (or part of the prize) is unavailable, the Promoter, in its discretion, reserves the right to substitute the prize (or that part of the prize) with a prize to the equal value and/or specification, subject to any written directions from a regulatory authority.
The prize includes GST and taxes included in the price of the airline tickets. Unless otherwise stated, the prize does not include travel insurance, passports, visas, meals, taxes not included in the price of the ticket, or any other costs of a personal nature.
Each prize must be taken as stated and no compensation will be payable if a winner is unable to use the prize as stated. Prizes are not exchangeable or redeemable for cash or other goods or services. A prize cannot be transferred to any other person, unless agreed to by the Promoter. There can be no changes made to travel arrangements once tickets are issued.
If the prize (or part of the prize) is unavailable, the Promoter, in its discretion, reserves the right to substitute the prize (or that part of the prize) with a prize to the equal value and/or specification, subject to any written directions from a regulatory authority.