Early gardens in NZ and the women who loved them
Alfred Buxton is regarded as the "father of landscape design" in New Zealand. Working in the early 20th century, he designed more than 350 private and public gardens around the country over a 40 year period. He was one of the first to create expansive and sophisticated gardens that transformed clients' properties and way of life. Many of his clients were women: some independent, some wives of farmers, some businesswomen, some widows. Wellington historian , Dr Clare Gleeson, has told the story of the women who commissioned Alfred Buxton to design gardens in a new book, published by Cuba Press.