The Italian Renaissance Garden has been used by couples for their wedding ceremonies. Photo: RNZ / Natalie Akoorie
A new $20 entry fee into the 18 themed gardens at Hamilton Gardens comes into effect this week - but city residents are exempt.
Instead the fee applies to anyone aged 16 or over who does not live in Hamilton, which has caused some contention among neighbours in Waipā and Waikato.
The gardens attract a million people a year, and its 18 themed gardens are the star attraction.
They include the Italian Renaissance, Ancient Egyptian, Tudor, Tropical, Modernist, Surrealist, Indian Charbagh, English Flower, and Chinese Scholars' gardens, as well as the much-loved Mansfield garden and the Japanese Garden of Contemplation.
Aucklander Polly Williams grew up in Hamilton and was at the gardens on Friday to remember her late parents, who visited a lot during her childhood.
"I was brought up in Hamilton. I've lived here since the age of five but I don't live here anymore.
"We used to come here a lot with my parents who are both now passed. We used to bring Mum and Dad here all the time with my kids.
"It's been part of our family fabric forever."
Williams said it was a family tradition to visit Hamilton Gardens on Christmas Day.
Polly Williams visited the enclosed gardens at Hamilton Gardens on Friday while they were still free to non-Hamilton residents. Photo: RNZ / Natalie Akoorie
"But I won't be able to bring them anymore because it's going to cost us about $100 to bring our family here and we probably won't do that."
She said the themed gardens had special meaning to her family.
"We do enjoy the rest of the gardens as well. There are other walks that we do along the river.
"But it does hold a really special place in our hearts and it's quite sad for me that it's now going to cost us and perhaps be a little bit unaffordable for us when we do come to visit."
Jan Barr lives 10 minutes out of Hamilton at Ōhaupō and visits the gardens regularly.
Jan Barr of Ōhaupō will have to pay to visit Hamilton’s 18 themed gardens from Wednesday or miss out on her weekly walking group. Photo: RNZ / Natalie Akoorie
"I come to a walking group here on a Thursday but I won't be doing the inside walks anymore.
"I think it's annoying for those of us that are just out of town. For myself, I would have found it more acceptable if we could have come for $5, for one layer outside the city."
She said $20 for tourists was appropriate but for nearby non-Hamilton ratepayers it was "a bit much".
"I was talking to a lady coming in this morning and she had lived in Hamilton all her life. She's now gone into a rest home at Tamahere and she can't come to the gardens for free."
Hamilton Gardens director Lucy Ryan said the themed gardens alone attracted more than half a million visitors each year.
The Modernist Garden features a mosaic of Marilyn Monroe. Photo: RNZ / Natalie Akoorie
She said the reaction from neighbours to the fee was understandable.
"We do understand how our nearest neighbours are disappointed but unfortunately we had to draw the line somewhere and that was the ratepayer boundary.
"The residents and the ratepayers of Hamilton are the ones that are currently paying for the garden so it's only fair that they continue to get in for free."
Ryan said there was an annual pass available to neighbours for $39 per adult, until the end of December. After that, it would be $50.
She said it was possible there would be between a 40 and 60 per cent drop in visitors initially.
Meanwhile, a new visitor centre, due to officially open on Tuesday, together with an upgrade to the Eygptian garden and a toilet block, cost $12 million and was funded out of Hamilton City Council's last long-term plan. The visitor centre will be open to the public from Wednesday.