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Te Popo Gardens Rural Retreat
We take pleasure in welcoming you to a paradise, a peaceful setting on 34 acres of woodlands where nature never sleeps;, located 15 minutes out of Stratford . Every season has its own story to tell and when night welcomes the day, you step into a private little paradise of beautiful plants, flowers and trees. The huge variety of birds in song invite you to relax, and let Mother Nature work her magic on your tired soul. Our woodland picnic spots are perfect for a little escape from the daily stress and our beautiful gardens are the perfect wedding venue for the nature lover.
Les and I are married for 45 years. We relocated to New Zealand in 2006 from South Africa. We have got one son, which is still living in South Africa. We purchased Te Popo gardens in 2016, and are always busy building it up and add a bit of African taste to the property. We currently have 39 life size African animals statues on the property.
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Top Host
- This host receives a lot of worldpackers and has a high average rating.
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About the experience in: Stratford, New Zealand
United States
Amanda is a lovely person and I enjoyed spending time with her! The room I stayed in was super nice, the surrounding land is great, and the food was delicious. Working hours were respected, however the advertised garden work was almost non existent for me. I mainly did housekeeping for the bed and breakfast. My boyfriend, who worked on the yard, and I asked to alternate roles, however we didn’t see any changes happening and decided to leave early. Additionally, the business didn’t align with my goals of working on sustainable projects. This place wasn’t for me but could be great for others!
5 days ago
Amanda replied
You did what work for you, we are doing what works for us. Your lack of commitment is a bit disappointing. However all of the best
About the experience in: Stratford, New Zealand
United States
Amanda was very sweet and a welcoming host. The accommodation was nice, especially having your own space. The work was not difficult and expectations/directions were clear. However, this experience was not the right fit for me or my partner. Their was a clear gendered division of labor which we requested multiple times to alternate between so all the tasks would be accomplished and we both could have opportunities outside and housekeeping. These requests were not acted upon. Additionally, I thought the business did not act in a sustainable way. Unfortunately, I left the experience early.
5 days ago
Amanda replied
My response to Grace is the same to you. You do what works for you. We do what works for us. Your lack of commitment was disappointing. However all of the best for your future.
About the experience in: Stratford, New Zealand
Ireland
Amanda is a lovely host & the gardens are a really nice place.
about 1 month ago
Amanda replied
It was a pleasure working with William. He is hardworking and diligent. Thank you William. Enjoy your stay in NZ
About the experience in: Stratford, New Zealand
Germany
I really enjoyed my stay here. Amanda and Les were welcoming, helpful, and made sure everything was comfortable. The place was clean, well-maintained, and had everything I needed. I would definitely recommend this experience to other travelers!
6 months ago
Amanda replied
Hi Luis, it was very nice hosting you. Thank you for your hard work
About the experience in: Stratford, New Zealand
Chile
If you habe the chance to go and help Amanda and Les, just do it. The place is incredible, massive space fill with nature. The hosts are the most caring and welcoming humans you could meet in the Taranaki region. Te Popo gardens is an amazing place, ridiculously beautiful and peaceful. You will really feel at home, but improved. Super mega tasty food made with love everyday. Nourishing conversations and a grate chance to immerse in nature. Thank you so much!!!! I will always remember my time there 💖💖😘
7 months ago
Amanda replied
Thank you Franco for giving 110% time and commitment. It was truly an honor to have you. You are open, friendly and a extremely good self motivator. You took ownership and pride in everything you have done. Thank you for leaving the room clean and tidy. Take care of yourself and we hope to see you again.