- Address: 101 Glenmore St, Kelburn, Wellington 6012, New Zealand;
- Phone: +64 (04) 499 1400;
- Website: www.wellington.govt.nz;
- Email: treehouse@wcc.govt.nz
If you have planned a trip to New Zealand and found yourself in Wellington , be sure to visit the eighth wonder of the world - the Royal Botanical Gardens, which are a unique oasis of wildlife among the urban landscape. This is not just an ordinary park, but a garden of national importance, so it is supervised by experts from the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture. They organized the import into the country of the most unusual and original plants, many of which are well established on the New Zealand soil.
The reserve is located near the center of Wellington , on a hill between the districts of Thorndon and Kelburn.
A bit of history
The idea of creating botanical gardens came to the mind of local authorities back in 1844, when a plot of land with an impressive area of 5.26 hectares was specially allocated for them. However, the improvised reserve in the center of the city was created only in 1868. Already after 10 years, the territory of botanical gardens was expanded to 21.85 hectares and officially granted them the status of a protected zone. That is why many of the exotic trees planted at that time are considered to be among the oldest in all of New Zealand . Since 1891, the reserve is under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Wellington.
Beauty Botanical Gardens
In this reserve, the traveler learns more about the ecosystems of coniferous forests and subtropical New Zealand forests. There are a variety of exhibitions and seasonal presentations of the most interesting plants. A special place among them is occupied by a huge flower bed of tulips, which, during their flowering time, delight almost all visitors. Representatives of the flora, who arrived in the country from foreign shores, live in a specially designated rosary for them.
As the park is located on a hill, many picturesque paths lead to its foot, along which not only visitors of the city like to walk, but also local people like to walk.
From the attractions of the reserve, worthy of capturing them, we will note:
- An amazing restaurant for visitors "Trichouse", which is located directly on the tree. Here you can also get all information about interesting exhibitions and attractions on the territory of the reserve;
- A large conservatory made in Victorian style (here the ancient fern Platycerium superbum, whose age is several hundred years, deserves to be mentioned);
- Rose Garden of Norwood, made up of 106 beds of regular shape;
- House of Begonia, in which plants live in both subtropical and temperate zones. Among them are water lilies, carnivorous and poisonous plants, numerous varieties of orchids;
- flashlight "Flame of the World," which burns a fire that first caught fire during the bombing of Hiroshima. Japan has transferred it to New Zealand as a symbol of the merits of this country in the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
What else to see and what to do?
If you come to the garden with children, they are unlikely to become bored. After all, there is a playground, a special charm that gives the environment from the lush and juicy greens. You can also feed the domestic ducks, who live in the local pond and are not afraid of visitors at all. In the evening, the reserve during the walks looks fabulous: on the trees and bushes there are many fireflies, creating an unforgettable mysterious atmosphere with its flickering light.
In the local botanical gardens you will see not only trees. Its decoration is the original carved figures depicting people and animals, and large-scale sculptures by the famous local artists Drummond, Booth and Moore.
In summer, the reserve holds many social events, for example, concerts of classical music. The performance of famous works in Sound Shel will be remembered for a long time thanks to special acoustics in the open air.
If you are tired of walking in the garden, you can see the institutions located on its territory:
- Meteorological Service of New Zealand;
- The Wellington Museum of the Cable Tramway ;
- the Carter Observatory;
- The National Observatory of New Zealand, known for its ancient refractive telescope, detailed maps of the starry sky and original shows that are held at the local planetarium, etc.
Behavior rules
A visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens is free of charge. It does not restrict the freedom of visitors: you can freely bring a dog to the park or have a picnic with friends by checking into the local cafe. Therefore, the reserve is a favorite holiday destination for tourists with families. In addition, if you want to learn more about the local flora, be sure to visit the free guided tours that suit every fourth Monday and every third Sunday through the gardens.
How to get?
To get into the botanical gardens from the central area of the city, having a business status, you should take advantage of the Wellington Cable Car Tramway , and during the trip you will discover amazing views. You can get on the car next to the quay, on the street Cable Car Lane. A one way ticket costs $ 4.
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