Spring has arrived and that means the cherry blossoms are blooming again! 😀 To celebrate the arrival of spring and enjoy the view of white cherry blossoms, my husband and I visited the sweetest spot in Hawke’s Bay – Birdwoods Gallery & Sweet Shop located in the beautiful village of Havelock North, New Zealand.
Birdwoods Gallery & Sweet Shop in Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay
Set in the countryside of just 3km from Havelock North village, Birdwoods Galley & Sweet Shop is a ‘must-see’ for all visitors and locals, offering a gallery, sculpture garden, café and an old-fashioned sweet shop.
Opened in 2005 by Bruce and Louise Stobart, the Gallery’s home is the original church hall from St Peter’s in Waipawa built in 1894. The old hall has since had a beautiful conservatory added and the extensive grounds include an outdoor terrace and a large sculpture garden. Visitors enjoy Birdwoods‘ famous café treats all year round in one of Hawke’s Bay’s loveliest settings.
Right next door to Birdwoods Gallery is the Birdwoods Sweet Shop, an old-fashioned sweet shop housed in a charming one room colonial cottage made from reclaimed materials. Packed to the rafters with a treasure trove of sweets, it is a favourite of the young and old.
Delectable Sweet Treats & Pretty White Cherry Blossoms
I wanted to visit Birdwoods Gallery & Sweet Shop after seeing the lovely photos taken by my friends who visited the place sometime back. It looks beautiful with its rustic colonial cottage, spacious sculpture garden and quirky art decorations. But, what caught my eye was the garden of white cherry blossoms in full bloom during spring.
So, one sunny day in spring, my husband and I dressed up and drove to Birdwoods Gallery & Sweet Shop. It is 5 minutes from Hastings and 30 minutes from Napier by car. The place was packed with people when we got there due to the school holidays and brunch/lunch hour. The first thing we did was to walk over to the garden of white cherry blossoms and took several photos. 😀
Next, came the exciting part – the Birdwoods Sweet Shop! There, we feast our eyes to rows and rows of colourful and attractive sweet jars. It has almost every variety of sweets that we could possibly imagine; fruit jellies, gums, drops, marshmallows, nougats, fudges, jelly beans, chocolates, liquorice, lollipops, globe stoppers, sour candies, and more.
For your info, all sweets are sold by weight. Boy, it was difficult to resist the temptation to buy and eat every single sweet treat in sight! 😛 Vintage lovers will especially love Birdwoods Sweet Shop because it has a vintage cash register that goes ‘ding!’, lots of special old tins, baker’s scales, teddy bear and buntings too.
Birdwoods Gallery, Café, Ice-Cream Shop & Scenic Sculpture Garden
The walk in Birdwoods Gallery itself is a sight to behold. Many of the art pieces are ‘one offs’ and most are handmade. Paintings, prints and cards, furniture, jewellery, textiles, wire work, stone and metal sculptures – you name it, they have it. The use of fairy lights adds a touch of magic to the ambience.
The Birdwoods Café serves no fast food, but I quote them, “they serve healthy food made as fast as possible”. 😉 The food they offer is made at Birdwoods using local, seasonal ingredients. Also on the menu are its renowned tea, coffee and desserts. The Birdwoods Ice-Cream Shop serves real fruit ice-cream and frozen yoghurt in summer with your choice of the best of the Bay – Black Doris plum, Golden Queen peach, boysenberry, cherry and other delights.
Birdwoods is also a popular venue for wedding ceremonies, lunch, drinks or gatherings thanks to its dreamy and picturesque setting. The large sculpture garden, terrace and conservatory all look stunning! There is a swing and a giant wind chime in the area. It is worth taking the time to explore the entire area and enjoy the scenery.
In a Nutshell
Cherry blossoms, sweet treats, ice-creams, interesting art pieces and a beautiful garden make a heavenly combination. As such, our trip to Birdwoods Gallery & Sweet Shop in Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay was nothing but enjoyable and memorable. We would definitely go back there in summer to try their fresh fruit ice-cream and frozen yoghurt. 🙂
Birdwoods Gallery & Sweet Shop
298 Middle Road, Havelock North,
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.
Telephone : +64 6 877 1395
Email : birdwoods@xtra.co.nz