A meal in a garden is a lovely way to enjoy summer, as Gillian Vine finds in a Canterbury vineyard.
It doesn't look very promising as, on the way from Christchurch to Hanmer Springs, we turn off State Highway 7 on to a dusty secondary road bordered by paddocks of faded beige grass, but Pegasus Bay Winery, in the Waipara Valley, is lush and green.
There is no sign of the bay from which the vineyard takes its name, though, as hills hide the sea and protect the vineyard from ocean winds.
First impressions are encouraging.
The car park - often an area ignored by garden planners - is bordered by trees and shrubs, and it gets better.
The path down to the chateau-style main building is bordered by low hedges which hold at bay mixed borders of native and exotic trees and shrubs.
The cool, green effect is a dramatic foil for the Mediterranean-pink chateau and any bright garden colour is unnecessary in summer.
Despite rumbling tums, we detour into the sunken herb garden to admire the variety of plants, many used in the winery's award-winning restaurant.
Edged with Buxus, the area has the traditional standard bay tree at the centre and above this garden, a grassy slope is planted with olives and figs, the latter netted against greedy birds (and possibly human visitors).
The restaurant, which was New Zealand Winery Restaurant of the Year in 2008 and 2009, lives up to its reputation.
It has a policy of using organic produce where possible and strongly supports local suppliers.
We have come mainly to see the garden.
The pond area, an interesting mix of native and exotic planting, can be seen from the outdoor dining area but other gems require gentle stretching of the legs.
First, there is the biodiversity trail, the aim of which is to introduce visitors to the value of returning natives to a working vineyard.
"Nature's services", as the vineyard owners call them, include biological control of weeds, pests and diseases.
An important aspect of this is providing suitable habitats for beneficial insects, such as ladybirds, while planting non-native annuals, such as buckwheat and Phacelia, at the rate of one row per 10 of vines, gives such impressive biological control of caterpillars that insecticides are not needed.
The economic benefit is that as much as $250 per hectare per year is saved.
This area also embraces kitiakitanga, the Maori sustainability concept.
In sharp contrast is the area between the biodiversity trail and the restaurant, which could have been lifted from the grounds of an English country house.
Buxus borders beds of shrubs from which peep sculptures, while the centrepiece is a quartered garden, divided by brick paths and again edged with low box hedging.
Each quadrant is a different colour combination - red/orange, gold/yellow, blue/white/lavender and pink.
Good use is made of gladioli, with reds in one bed and yellow in another, so there is a link of form from one area to the next.
Taller plants, such as Gaura, tiger lilies and dahlias, ensure the height of flowers in each bed is approximately the same.
It looks simple but requires careful planning, something evident throughout the entire garden.
As a diversion for gardeners and foodies, Pegasus rates top marks.
If you go
Pegasus Bay Winery, Stockgrove Rd, Waipara, North Canterbury, is open for wine tastings and sales from 10am to 5pm daily. The restaurant is open from noon to 4pm, seven days. Bookings are recommended; phone (03) 314-6869.
In Canterbury, Gillian Vine was hosted by Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism, www.christchurchnz.com.
