Historic grounds become number one garden - officially

The grounds of Waitangi’s Treaty House - where the seeds of the nation of Aotearoa New Zealand were first planted - have been given formal recognition.

The historic location, scene of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, has become the first garden in the country to be assessed and endorsed by Qualmark.

And it’s a honour that has also been bestowed by the New Zealand Gardens Trust, which is sponsored by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture.

To be eligible for Qualmark endorsement, gardens must first be members of the NZGT and must be assessed and graded by that organisation as a garden of national significance or garden of regional significance.

Not only has the garden been given Qualmark accreditation, but the entire Waitangi Treaty Grounds have been assessed and are now a Qualmark endorsed visitor attraction.

Customer service, facilities and equipment, staff management, environmental and cultural aspects, general safety and overall business operations are generic criteria used by Qualmark to assess a tourism business.

Waitangi Treaty Grounds general manager Jeanette Richardson says the Bay of Islands operation decided to seek Qualmark endorsement because it is New Zealand’s recognised quality standard. “We believe that it is important for visitors to see that we are a Qualmark endorsed attraction,” she says.

“The assessment process was very rewarding, not only because it has highlighted the fact that we do have the quality systems and measures in place on a day-to-day basis, but also because it has resulted in the Treaty Grounds being the first garden to be endorsed.”

“The Qualmark assessment will ensure that the garden has the appropriate operational and business systems in place to meet visitors’ expectations, while the New Zealand Gardens Trust assessment will ensure that it is meeting technical quality standards pertinent to gardens and garden savvy visitors.”