Parnell Rose Gardens

This park is nice enuff but I wouldn’t come here at night there is nowhere near enuff lights to make it say it’s open 24 hours a day apart from that the gardens were presented very nicely I was Impressed actually.

I haven’t actually seen the gardens here, I soley visit to feed the colony of homeless cats. The one time I walked up the steps from the carpark, there were three homeless men asleep (or passed out) on the park benches. Very intimidating, and not great for tourists.

I use to housesit nearby and loved taking the dogs for a walk in here. What appeals to me most is not the said rose gardens but all the little trails in the main park. Some are quite steep and the dogs would start panting after a while — that was always a sign that we should turn back towards the house. It reminds of the sort of park you’d find in London as it’s very green — when you wander around here you often forget that you are in Auckland at all. The people around are Parnell types, jogging and walking their pedigree dogs. I’m not really into the whole roses thing but I do admit, they would be a great place for some photos if you got married. Overall, a charming place to come for a stroll, especially during summer when the flowers are in bloom.

I know people who got engaged here. It’s that sort of place. You know, scenic in a way that people think is romantic and significant. I dunno, I think it’s nice enough. It’s very much of a style though, and if you’ve even been to England or pre-​destruction Christchurch it’s a style that you’ll be very familiar with. This kind of fussy formality isn’t what I think of when I think of a New Zealand park, but it obviously appeals to some (rich, white, old) people. And it is pretty, there’s no doubting that. The view helps. I find the place far more appealing when you wander away from the highly organised flower beds and find some of the more organic, bushy parts. If that last sentence reads a little bit like amateur erotica to you, well, it’s a rose garden. Euphemistic lust is why the English created them. That’s why they’re good for engagements.

I’m not sure how many people know about this place as it’s kind of in an isolated part of Parnell (I, myself only recently found out about it), but it is quite a sweet little spot to hang out in. There are some tracks you can walk along through the bush (That is if you don’t mind walking up and down incredibly steep slopes), or you can relax on the banks of the park, or even swim in the lake nearby. There are pier things out in the water for people to jump off, it’s pretty great on a hot day. Also, as the name suggests, there are gardens and flowers and plenty of roses here. It’s a good place to take a date with some picnic food and wine; I’m sure she would appreciate the beauty of the place.