Riverstone Kitchen has extensive beautiful and functional gardens surrounding the restaurant, retail buildings and carpark. Nigel gave me free rein on the photos he took so despite losing mine in yesterday’s laptop disaster I can still share some of the experience.
This post continues my previous post Dot’s Dream Castle so you can find more information and links there if you haven’t already read it.
Click on ANY of the images below for an enlarged version.
Riverstone Castle. The water is an irrigation lake, this is right in farming country.
Woven ball tucked into the branches of a tree.
A whole series of raised vegetable gardens by the carpark. The woven ball is in the tree on the left, and just left of centre is a woven willow hedge or screen.
Entrance arch in the living screen.
Here Nigel has beautifully captured the shadows cast by the woven screen.
Castle view that you can see from the carpark and lawn/vege-bed area.
Riverstone Castle, lake and fountain.
Text by Exploring Colour. Photos by Nigel Cowburn | Growplan
Exploring Colour 
I’m just repeating here, but that woven, living screen is spectacular. To even have the idea of doing it and the planning is quite something. The whole place is quite something and I hope you’ll get to return. Wishing you well with your technology disaster–that is never fun.
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I’m glad you’ve returned Ellen! I got Dot’s book out of the library yesterday and it confirmed what I thought – that a guy called Mike Lilian did the willow work. He’s a local artisan. Just did a quick search and found a lovely WP blog about him. I’m in a hurry right now and haven’t read much of it myself but it looks good – try this – https://oamarunz.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/traditional-craftsman-in-oamaru/
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Interesting read, especially about the coffins. The links in the article are outdated and it looks like someone else took over the name of this business mentioned there, Willow Works. I found this more recent article that has a photo of him with one of those woven balls: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/68153838/Meet-the-Oamaru-couple-who-weave-coffins-from-willow
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I really enjoyed reading that article you found Ellen – thank you!
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I can not even begin to imagine the time and effort to grow this woven willow hedge, stupendous! Everything about this place is enchanting from the woven balls to the raised gardens and the castle. Spectacular photos by Nigel! Thank-you!
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you’re welcome ellen! ‘enchanting’ is a great word that you’ve chosen to describe this place, very fitting!
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That woven willow screen is amazing!
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Yes, its a great feature and beautifully done!
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Love the living screen!
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Yes, its a really fine example of what can be achieved!
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This would be a nice place to visit. There are some interesting details to see there. You should check out my post “You Never Know What You’ll See”. The Berry Barn featured in that post has some interesting things to see too.
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Glad you could draw on Nigel’s photos. Looks like a lovely place, particularly enjoyed seeing the woven ball in the tree, & the archway.
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Thanks Helen. They also had a couple of tightly woven large wicker-work bells that were on a stand in the garden. Hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to visit again sometime and re-take my photos!
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