Tauranga · Online course

Horticulture in Tauranga

Are you a passionate gardener? Do you love being outdoors and covered in dirt? Then this is the online course for you!

Full course details

What you'll learn

The course is the same online course wherever you study from. Its modules:

1. Subject 1 – Horticulture 1
2. Subject 2 – Horticulture and Plant Data

See the full Horticulture course outline

Horticulture in the kiwifruit and avocado belt

Horticulture drives the Tauranga economy. The Bay of Plenty grows around 80 percent of New Zealand's kiwifruit, and Wikipedia notes that the city is surrounded by kiwifruit and avocado orchards. Zespri's international headquarters is in Mount Maunganui. In Te Puke, 18 km away, the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre is run by Zespri and Plant & Food Research to develop new varieties. In a 2023 interview, NZ Avocado's chief executive said 60 to 65 percent of the national avocado industry is based in the region.

Ornamental and heritage horticulture can be seen at public gardens around the city. Te Puna Quarry Park has iris, cactus and succulent, palm, bonsai and butterfly collections, all kept up by volunteers. The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga is a Garden of National Significance with plantings from the mission era, and it offers garden tours by booking.

Horticulture in Tauranga: questions

What crops dominate horticulture around Tauranga?

Kiwifruit and avocados. ANZ reported in July 2026 that 80 percent of New Zealand's kiwifruit is grown in the Bay of Plenty. In 2023, NZ Avocado's chief executive said 60 to 65 percent of the national avocado industry is based in the region. Te Puke, 18 km south-east of Tauranga, calls itself the kiwifruit capital of the world.

Are there public gardens worth studying in Tauranga?

Yes. Te Puna Quarry Park is free to enter and has themed plant collections maintained by volunteers. The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga holds Garden of National Significance status from the NZ Gardens Trust and runs pre-booked garden tours.

What our students say

100% would recommend

100% would recommend if you work full time and find it hard to find time to study. Study at your own pace with amazing tutoring staff, extremely helpful and an awesome attitude!

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Enrolling with Learning Online

Enrolling with Learning Online, was a fantastic experience for me. The Customer Service is second to none, right from the introductory phone calls (thanks Hayley!) through to the finance department, who made it super easy and affordable. (in weekly instalments!)
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Janelle Berry

Easy to understand and great support

I have been conducting a 12 week course, the information provided has been easy to understand and extremely informative. If at any point i have run into difficulties, my tutor has been there to give assistance and advise me the best way to progress forward.

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Sources for the local information on this page