With the sound of the Ngamuwahine River in the background and surrounded by a backdrop of green, it's not surprising that Margaret Murray-Benge calls her garden a sanctuary.
The Western Bay of Plenty District councillor and her husband Doug moved to the 0.8ha lower Kaimai property eight years ago.
When they met
at a wedding in Australia, Margaret, the bride's mother, was living in a "little urban section" in Christchurch and Doug (the groom's step-grandfather) in Omokoroa.
"She didn't say anything when she came to visit me in Omokoroa," Doug says, "but I could see from her face that it wasn't for her."
Margaret says the garden of Cascade River Falls is "constantly in transition".
"It's got to be easy care and able to look after itself - the tree ferns are the splendid basis of the place.
"It's a paradise in summer ... but a bit cooler, shall we say, in winter."
Australian natives do well in the climate and Margaret and Doug have added grevellias, heaths, banksias and waratahs - rugby fan Doug planting a waratah every time New Zealand wins the Bledisloe Cup.
The garden is also home to large plantings of photinias, proteas, rhododendrons, magnolias, Japanese maples and several Cercis Forest Pansy trees which Margaret loves as much for their burgundy leaves in spring and summer as for their fiery autumn show.
The scarlet oak (Quercis coccinea) is another stunning specimen tree in autumn and many nandina bushes (heavenly bamboo) add to the show.
The lowest terrace that leads down to the river is predominantly in natives that have come into their own, thanks to Doug's possum control.
"We've had several weddings in this garden," Margaret says, "and the brides love clambering on to the rocks for photos."
