A sacred space in a busy place
At the heart of Hamilton Gardens, the Indian Char Bagh offers a space for reflection. But as one of Waikato’s busiest attractions, how does the team protect its peace?
Each year, Hamilton Gardens attracts around 1.1 million visitors to its collection of themed spaces. They explore different cultures and periods of history, from traditional Japanese and Italian designs to imaginative, fantasy-inspired landscapes.
One of the most popular spaces is the Indian Char Bagh, influenced by Persian and Mughal traditions. The design reflects Jannah, paradise, reflecting Islamic ideas of the divine order. The walled garden is split into four parts by streams of water. These streams stand for the rivers of paradise and represent purity (Tahara), peace (Sakina) and divine blessing (Barakah).
Horticultural Operations Manager Gus Flower — perhaps born for the job — says spaces such as the Char Bagh have existed for thousands of years and play a key role in Hamilton Gardens’ mission to “tell the stories of mankind and its relationship with gardens.”
He explains that most visitors arrive seeking relaxation rather than entertainment, using the gardens as places for what he calls ‘passive recreation’ a pause from the pace of daily life.
Hamilton Gardens still remains hugely popular over the past decade. Ten years ago, 1 million visitors came to the gardens annually. Today it welcomes more than 1.1 million visitors with 8 new gardens being introduced. To preserve the peaceful atmosphere as visitor numbers grow, free passes are now only available to Hamilton residents, while most visitors from outside the city pay an entry fee.
Another step the Garden’s team take is daily monitoring routines. Flower explains that staff spend time every day “checking on maintenance and standards” to ensure this space is well-kept. This keeps the balance between the calm and chaos during peak times.
The Char Bagh’s design itself also helps people slow down and reflect. A Persian-style Iwan archway leads visitors onto a path that gently brings them into the garden.
Flower says he hopes visitors leave with more than photographs. Rather, he hopes they take away “an incredible experience… a day they remember,” whilst gaining a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical meaning behind the garden.
For him, the highlight of working with the gardens is the early morning quiet and stillness. He enjoys interacting with visitors from around the world who come to appreciate the space. Flower believes each themed space at Hamilton Gardens gives visitors “an insight into other worlds,” opening their minds to new cultures and ideas.
Even as crowds grow, the Indian Char Bagh continues to offer moments of peace and reflection, staying true to its purpose as a sacred space in a busy place.
