Christchurch Botanic Gardens

About

The Christchurch Botanic Gardens, located in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand, were founded in 1863 when an English oak was planted to commemorate the solemnisation of the marriage of Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The gardens sprawl over an area of 21 hectares and lie adjacent to the loop of the Avon River next to Hagley Park. The Christchurch Botanic Gardens have a variety of collections of exotic and local plants of New Zealand, several conservatories, a nursery, playground and Climatological Station.

- 1863 English oak planted for Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra of Denmark's marriage.

- 1882 International Industrial Exhibition held in South Hagley Park. Acclimatisation Gardens formally opened to the public.

- 1901 Magnetic Observatory complex constructed in the domain. It is used by explorers Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton to calibrate their compasses before heading to Antarctica.

- 1910 First domain fête held, attracting a crowd of between 20,000 and 25,000 visitors. First stage of James Young's rose garden laid out.

- 1911 Peacock Fountain originally erected near where the McDougall Art Gallery now stands.

- 1926 Bandsmen's Memorial Rotunda officially opened

- 1932 Robert McDougall Art Gallery opened

- 2014 Christchurch Botanic Gardens won the 2014 Supreme Design Excellence Award at the Ellerslie International Flower Show with a horticultural exhibit called Burn after Reeding.

The mission of Christchurch Botanic Gardens is threefold:

- lead in the areas of horticulture, display, interpretation, education, research, networking, cultural and heritage relevance and community appreciation.

- emphasis is placed on New Zealand indigenous (native) plant diversity and global plant diversity.

The Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre, which opened in April 2014, has a café, gift shop and an interactive permanent exhibition featuring the history of plants and gardening in Canterbury. Attached to the visitor centre is the Ilex nursery, where 10,000 plant species are propagated in order to supply the conservatories and also preserve species.

John Armstrong, one of the early curators of the gardens, is commemorated at the Armstrong Lawn, where formal bedding displays of petunia, begonia and salvia bloom through spring and summer with tulips, primula and Iceland poppies bringing post-winter colour. The Peacock Fountain was imported from England and first installed in the garden. A statue of William Sefton Moorhouse commemorates the second of the four superintendents of the Canterbury provincial government. At the far end of the lawn is the Curator's House, built in 1920, which is now used for fine dining and education. In its garden, nasturtiums and herbs grow alongside heirloom and gourmet vegetables.

The New Zealand Garden was established at its present location between 1910 and 1927 by Botanic Gardens Curator James Young. Over several decades these gardens evolved into a fine collection of New Zealand species, interwoven and overlaid with new extensions. The gardens provide a wonderful opportunity for getting lost under a canopy of mature trees such as kahikatea and beech.

- New Zealand Icon Garden A short looped trail featuring some of New Zealand's most iconic and loved native plants. The small grove allows visitors to catch a glimpse of wild New Zealand and see mature trees and plants including the legendary silver fern, harakeke, rimu and kōtukutuku.

Laid in 1926, the gardens’ border is in two parts, divided by an ornamental sundial presented by Canterbury Superintendent William Rolleston in 1873. The sandy soils at the eastern end are perfect for plants from hot dry climates and is shaded from wind by the Robert McDougall Art Gallery. Colourful European and North American plants including phlox, aster and geranium dominate the moist western end. In the shadiest areas, hostas are a feature.

When the first rose garden was established here in 1909, it was considered the largest and finest in Australasia, with its rectangular rosarium having 132 beds and almost 2500 rose bushes. The rose garden was redeveloped in the mid-1930s, with four paths converging at a mirror pool in the middle of a circular design. Twenty years later a memorial sundial replaced the pool. Now, 104 beds support a profusion of climbing, standard and Hybrid Tea modern garden roses.

The Rock Garden contains some plants that remain in flower throughout the year. The Rock Garden's terraced south-facing slopes are ideal for growing many alpine plants and most of the plants here are exotic (the native subalpine species are part of the New Zealand collection). On the other side of the path, the Heather Garden faces the sunny north with many species of heath and heather growing here. In 1917, when the original rock garden was developed, gardeners planted an avenue of limes. The path was named Beswick's Walk after a former mayor of Christchurch, Harry Beswick.

In 1938, the New Zealand Garden was extended to allow space for alpine plants, Hebe and Leptospermum beds. The new addition was created as a memorial to Dr Leonard Cockayne (1855–1934) in honour of his comprehensive contribution to New Zealand's botany, horticulture, ecology and conservation. In the 1960s this garden was completely redesigned and replanted, such as kōwhai, horoeka, and tōtara.