Ohinetahi
Encyclopedia
Ōhinetahi is a valley, historic homestead, and formal garden on Teddington Road, Governors Bay
, Christchurch
, Canterbury Region, New Zealand
. Ōhinetahi valley is situated at the head of Lyttelton Harbour
while the Port Hills
rise above Ōhinetahi.
While the Ōhinetahi Homestead is considered to be a significant historic building in the small settlement of Governors Bay, the formal garden of Ōhinetahi is considered to be one of New Zealand's finest. Amongst the early owners of Ōhinetahi were William Sefton Moorhouse
, Canterbury pioneer, and Thomas Henry Potts
, New Zealand's first conservationist; Sir Miles Warren
, architect of the Christchurch Town Hall
, is the current owner.
pā
. Approximately 300 years ago, it was overtaken by Te Rakiwhakaputa of Ngāi Tahu
. After the pā's capture, Manuhiri, son of Te Rakiwhakaputa, resided here, fathering many sons and one daughter after whom the pā is named.
authorities. Potts 4 ha garden included a quince and variegated elm that still survive. After his death in 1888, the garden was left untended until it was mostly just a lawn around the house.
Sir Miles, one of New Zealand's foremost architects, his sister, Pauline Trengrove, and her husband, John, restored the large stone colonial villa and started the present garden in 1977. Since the mid-1990s, Sir Miles has tended the privately-owned homestead by himself. The historic home was extensively damaged in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
.
is well structured and designed with views down to the harbour. Ōhinetahi uses the concept of "rooms" to create effect. The terraced garden is sectioned into groupings. Hedges shelter those plants that have difficulty in high winds. The garden is characterised by a herb potager, box-edged rose garden, and herbaceous borders. Other features of the English-inspired landscaping include a Red Garden (formerly white), ogee gazebo, pond, bridge, statues, stone and metal sculpture, and a Oamaru
stonewall. The central lawn fronts the house's main façade, which has arched colonial verandas. A stream flows from the garden down to the harbour.
, as well as densely planted rhododendron
s, camellia
s, and Buxus
. Though Potts introduced grasses, he found the Poa
to be hard to eradicate.
.
Governors Bay
Governors Bay is a small settlement in Canterbury, New Zealand.-Geography and transport:It is located on Banks Peninsula at the foot and on the south side of the Port Hills near the head of Lyttelton Harbour...
, Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, Canterbury Region, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Ōhinetahi valley is situated at the head of Lyttelton Harbour
Lyttelton Harbour
Lyttelton Harbour is one of two major inlets in Banks Peninsula, on the coast of Canterbury, New Zealand. The other is Akaroa Harbour.Approximately 15 km in length from its mouth to Teddington, the harbour was formed from a series of ancient volcanic eruptions that created a caldera, the...
while the Port Hills
Port Hills
The Port Hills form the northern rim of the ancient Lyttelton volcano, separating the port of Lyttelton from the city of Christchurch in Canterbury, New Zealand...
rise above Ōhinetahi.
While the Ōhinetahi Homestead is considered to be a significant historic building in the small settlement of Governors Bay, the formal garden of Ōhinetahi is considered to be one of New Zealand's finest. Amongst the early owners of Ōhinetahi were William Sefton Moorhouse
William Sefton Moorhouse
William Sefton Moorhouse was a New Zealand politician. He was the second Superintendent of Canterbury Province.-Early life:...
, Canterbury pioneer, and Thomas Henry Potts
Thomas Henry Potts
Thomas Henry Potts was a British-born New Zealand naturalist, ornithologist, entomologist, and botanist....
, New Zealand's first conservationist; Sir Miles Warren
Miles Warren
Sir Miles Warren, ONZ, KBE, FNZIA is New Zealand's foremost modern architect. He apprenticed under Cecil Wood before studying architecture at the University of Auckland, eventually working at the London County Council where he was exposed to British New Brutalism...
, architect of the Christchurch Town Hall
Christchurch Town Hall
The Christchurch Town Hall, since 2007 formally known as the Christchurch Town Hall of the Performing Arts, opened in 1972, is Christchurch's premier performing arts centre. It is located in the central city on the banks of the Avon River overlooking Victoria Square. It is situated opposite the...
, is the current owner.
Etymology
The place was once a heavily fortified Ngāti MāmoeKati Mamoe
Kāti Mamoe, or Ngāti Mamoe, is an historic Māori iwi. Originally from the Heretaunga area they moved in the 16th century to the South Island which at the time was occupied by Waitaha....
pā
Pa (Maori)
The word pā can refer to any Māori village or settlement, but in traditional use it referred to hillforts fortified with palisades and defensive terraces and also to fortified villages. They first came into being about 1450. They are located mainly in the North Island north of lake Taupo...
. Approximately 300 years ago, it was overtaken by Te Rakiwhakaputa of Ngāi Tahu
Ngāi Tahu
Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori iwi of the southern region of New Zealand, with the tribal authority, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, being based in Christchurch and Invercargill. The iwi combines three groups, Kāi Tahu itself, and Waitaha and Kāti Mamoe who lived in the South Island prior...
. After the pā's capture, Manuhiri, son of Te Rakiwhakaputa, resided here, fathering many sons and one daughter after whom the pā is named.
History
The first known house was named Rosemary Cottage after one of Bishop Selwyn's daughters and was built by Christopher Alderson Calvert, a lawyer. Four subsequent owners followed before Moorhouse owned the 225 acre property, adding timber wings to the existing house. Moorhouse sold it to Thomas Potts in 1858 who built the stone house between 1863 and 1867. The garden framework, originally laid out in 1865 by Potts, New Zealand's first botanist, was established with trees such as Burbank plums. The variety of exotic trees and shrubs that Potts selected were on the advice of Kew GardenRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
authorities. Potts 4 ha garden included a quince and variegated elm that still survive. After his death in 1888, the garden was left untended until it was mostly just a lawn around the house.
Sir Miles, one of New Zealand's foremost architects, his sister, Pauline Trengrove, and her husband, John, restored the large stone colonial villa and started the present garden in 1977. Since the mid-1990s, Sir Miles has tended the privately-owned homestead by himself. The historic home was extensively damaged in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
.
Structure
The woodland that surrounds the home of Sir Miles WarrenMiles Warren
Sir Miles Warren, ONZ, KBE, FNZIA is New Zealand's foremost modern architect. He apprenticed under Cecil Wood before studying architecture at the University of Auckland, eventually working at the London County Council where he was exposed to British New Brutalism...
is well structured and designed with views down to the harbour. Ōhinetahi uses the concept of "rooms" to create effect. The terraced garden is sectioned into groupings. Hedges shelter those plants that have difficulty in high winds. The garden is characterised by a herb potager, box-edged rose garden, and herbaceous borders. Other features of the English-inspired landscaping include a Red Garden (formerly white), ogee gazebo, pond, bridge, statues, stone and metal sculpture, and a Oamaru
Oamaru
Oamaru , the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres south of Timaru and 120 kilometres north of Dunedin, on the Pacific coast, and State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connects it to both...
stonewall. The central lawn fronts the house's main façade, which has arched colonial verandas. A stream flows from the garden down to the harbour.
Flora
Flora include Black Locust shade trees, a hedge of Monterey CypressCupressus macrocarpa
Cupressus macrocarpa, commonly known as Monterey Cypress or Macrocarpa, is a species of cypress that is endemic to the Central Coast of California. In the wild, the species is confined to two small populations, near Monterey and Carmel, California. These two small populations represent what was...
, as well as densely planted rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s, camellia
Camellia
Camellia, the camellias, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalaya east to Korea and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number...
s, and Buxus
Buxus
Buxus is a genus of about 70 species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box or boxwood ....
. Though Potts introduced grasses, he found the Poa
Poa
Poa is a genus of about 500 species of grasses, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Common names include meadow-grass , bluegrass , tussock , and speargrass. "Poa" is Greek for fodder...
to be hard to eradicate.
Awards
Ohinetahi has received the Garden of Distinction and Garden of Excellence Award. The homestead is registered as a Category I heritage building with the New Zealand Historic Places TrustNew Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
.