Toeing the northern boundary of Wairarapa, a picturesque, driftwood-dotted stretch of sand and history, Akitio rejoices in its isolation.

Many gardens are modelled around one or two specimen trees, and as such are treated as the ‘hero’ in the same way a chef would create a dish around a prized ingredient. Masterton’s Queen Elizabeth Park has 20 hectares of hero trees in what is one of the best arboretum in New Zealand for a comparable sized town.