Projects

Taranaki Gardens – Tupare and Hollards

Tupare and Hollard Gardens are both private gardens that have been opened to the public. Each garden offers unique experiences and provides an insight into Taranaki's local history, inhabitants, natural environment, landscape and architectural design.

Tupare is both a house and garden created in the Arts and Crafts style. It features a 1930's Chapman Taylor Tudor style house and cottage - it is known as one of the finest landscape gardens in New Zealand. The design elements reflect the Arts and Crafts style. Using materials, form, colour and pattern, which are reminiscent of this period - solid steel and Totara timber feature as garden signage.

To help ‘Relive the splendor', 3D Creative developed Wayfinding and Interpretive Signage as well as the content of a small visitor centre fitout of the Gardeners Cottage.

Hollard Gardens interpretation shares the connection that the gardener has with the garden. The garden of Bernie and Rose Hollard est. 1927 it is a ‘plantsmans' garden that is of interest horticulturally because of the large and diverse collection of plants. ‘Tread the soils' is the phrase used to describe this garden which is earthly and frugal.

The new interpretive signs combine aged timber battens with printed 1950's tin-like story telling and plant labels. A new playground was developed to reflect the rural elements found and explored by children. The quality of rural life has been captured by both the physical and graphic design of the interpretation and the way it is integrated into the garden.