The place behind the visit.

Bill and Imelda Roche began building the gardens in 1999 on former horse paddocks and vineyards at Pokolbin. A team of more than 40 landscape gardeners, architects and engineers worked on them for four years.

The gardens were opened by the Premier of New South Wales, Bob Carr, on 10 October 2003.

• Read the history→

Ten themed gardens, influenced by places around the world, use both native and exotic plants. About eight kilometres of paths link them, past waterfalls, statues, topiary and lakes.

More than 500,000 annuals are planted each year, and the gardens describe their own horticulture on their website; this page does not add claims of its own.

Each summer since 2007 the gardens have hosted the Christmas Lights Spectacular, and they also hold events such as Snow Time in winter and Mega Creatures in the school holidays.

This history belongs to the place and the people who shaped it. The History page offers a longer introduction, and the timeline gives a short route through selected milestones.

• Read the history of the gardens→
• Explore the timeline→