Wellington Botanic Garden
Encyclopedia
The Wellington Botanic Garden, Wellington
, New Zealand
, covers 25 hectares of land on the side of the hill between Thorndon
and Kelburn
, near central Wellington.
The garden features 25 hectares of protected native forest, conifers, plant collections and seasonal displays. They also feature a variety of non-native species, including an extensive Rose Garden. They are classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture
.
The Wellington Cable Car
runs between Lambton Quay
and the top of the Botanic Garden, and it is the most direct way to get from the top part of the garden to Wellington's Central Business District
.
The winding hill paths of the Garden are a popular spot for Wellington residents. It is used for walking, jogging and taking children to the playground, and tourists enjoy meandering through the Garden's many collections via the downhill path to the city.
The Gardens feature a large Victorian-style glasshouse, the Begonia
House, the Lady Norwood Rose Garden and the Treehouse Visitor Centre. There is a large children's play area, a duck pond, and even glowworm
s visible some nights along paths in the Main Garden.
Large sculptures and carvings are located throughout the garden. These are by artists such as Henry Moore
, Andrew Drummond
and Chris Booth.
The Wellington City Council organises events during summer months, such as free concerts in the Sound Shell.
The Wellington Botanic Garden is home to several organisations, including:
The Garden was first established in 1868. It was initially managed by the New Zealand Institute, who planted conifers as part of a programme to import plant species and assess their potential for economic benefit to New Zealand. The Wellington City Council began managing the garden in 1891, developing various parts of the garden such as:
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, covers 25 hectares of land on the side of the hill between Thorndon
Thorndon
Thorndon is an inner suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It combines residential accommodation and the home of government, and is located at the northern end of the Central Business District...
and Kelburn
Kelburn, New Zealand
thumb|300px|Panorama of Wellington including the Kelburn cable car.Kelburn is an inner suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. It is located on the hills to the west of the Central Business District.-Features of Kelburn:...
, near central Wellington.
The garden features 25 hectares of protected native forest, conifers, plant collections and seasonal displays. They also feature a variety of non-native species, including an extensive Rose Garden. They are classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture
Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture
The Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture is New Zealand's only National Horticultural Society.Their mission is to "Encourage and improve horticulture in New Zealand by promoting the understanding, appreciation, conservation and use of plants"....
.
The Wellington Cable Car
Wellington Cable Car
The Wellington Cable Car is a funicular railway in Wellington, New Zealand between Lambton Quay, the main shopping street, and Kelburn, a suburb in the hills overlooking the central city, rising 120 m over a length of 612 m. It is widely recognised as a symbol of Wellington.-Track and stations:The...
runs between Lambton Quay
Lambton Quay, Wellington
Lambton Quay is the heart of the central business district of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand.Originally, as the name implies, it was the high-water line of the foreshore, and sometimes the sea would roll across the road and enter the shops on the opposite side. It was the site of the...
and the top of the Botanic Garden, and it is the most direct way to get from the top part of the garden to Wellington's Central Business District
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
.
The winding hill paths of the Garden are a popular spot for Wellington residents. It is used for walking, jogging and taking children to the playground, and tourists enjoy meandering through the Garden's many collections via the downhill path to the city.
Begonia
Begonia is a genus in the flowering plant family Begoniaceae and is a perennial. The only other members of the family Begoniaceae are Hillebrandia, a genus with a single species in the Hawaiian Islands, and the genus Symbegonia which more recently was included in Begonia...
House, the Lady Norwood Rose Garden and the Treehouse Visitor Centre. There is a large children's play area, a duck pond, and even glowworm
Glowworm
Glowworm, or glow worm, is the common name for various groups of insect larvae and adult larviform females that glow through bioluminescence. They may sometimes resemble worms, but all are insects .-Classification:Major families are:* Lampyridae , found around the world...
s visible some nights along paths in the Main Garden.
Large sculptures and carvings are located throughout the garden. These are by artists such as Henry Moore
Henry Moore
Henry Spencer Moore OM CH FBA was an English sculptor and artist. He was best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art....
, Andrew Drummond
Andrew Drummond (artist)
Andrew Drummond is a New Zealand painter and sculptor. Born in 1951 in Nelson, New Zealand, he attended University of Waterloo in Canada, graduating in 1976. He was a Frances Hodgkins Fellow in 1980....
and Chris Booth.
The Wellington City Council organises events during summer months, such as free concerts in the Sound Shell.
The Wellington Botanic Garden is home to several organisations, including:
- Carter ObservatoryCarter ObservatoryThe Carter Observatory stands at the top of the Botanic Gardens in Wellington, New Zealand. It re-opened in March 2010 following a NZ$5 million refurbishment, with a new exhibition and digital planetarium celebrating the culture, heritage and science of the Southern Skies.- History :The name...
, the National Observatory of New Zealand - Wellington Cable Car Museum
- Meteorological Service of New ZealandMeteorological Service of New Zealand LimitedMeteorological Service of New Zealand Limited was established as a State-Owned Enterprise in 1992. It employs about 215 staff and its headquarters are in Wellington, New Zealand...
- T-Up, (Victoria UniversityVictoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
Innovation Greenhouse) - World Wide Fund for NatureWorld Wide Fund for NatureThe World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
New Zealand headquarters
History
- Lady Norwood Rose Garden (1950)
- Begonia House (1960)
- Treehouse Visitor Centre (1990) in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund
External links