We decided to visit Eden Garden which is a garden on Mount Eden in Auckland, set in 2 hectares (5 acres) of former quarry land, sort of like the Butchart Gardens in Victoria but on a smaller scale. It was established in 1964 and is open to the public for an admission fee. Eden Garden was donated to the people of New Zealand in 1965 and is managed by The Eden Garden Society. The garden’s many collections of plants include what is reputed to be the largest collection of camellias in New Zealand, vireyas (tropical rhododendrons) some of which are always in bloom, Japanese maples, magnolias, hibiscus, bromeliads, native trees, interesting rock formations, waterfalls, and a spectacular perennial garden. At the entrance they had the spectacular red Bougainvillea pictured above.