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Native Botanic Garden and Forest Reserve
Wellington, NZ |
With especial thanks to Assistant Curator Anita Benbrook for her informative tour of the garden |
The Home Lawn |
You are amongst the treetops on the Canopy Walkway |
An impressive display of grasses |
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The canopy walkway links key garden areas |
Otari-Wilton's Bush is a unique garden. A botanical garden created for the collection of New Zealand native plants, it has always included a high level of public access and education in it's aims.
Only ten minutes drive from downtown Wellington it offers a complete contrast to the hustle and bustle of city streets. A huge pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) tree by the car park gives a very New Zealand flavour to this special garden, formerly the Otari Native Botanic Garden, and an inkling of the huge range of plants inside. Amidst the peace, green and flowers of 90 hectares of native bush and 5 hectares of plant collections the visitor is far away from cities and their problems.
If you want to see and know more about native plants, or if you simply want a walk and to enjoy some beautiful New Zealand native bush, the you can find no more beautiful place to do so than Otari-Wilton's Bush.
'Otari' translates as 'Place of Snares' and reflects the hunting in the original broadleaf forest that existed in this area. Some of that original forest (or 'bush') remains; some is regenerating forest as the large timber trees were milled for following European colonisation. Job Wilton was the farmer who fenced a large portion of the bush and protected it, this became known as Wilton's Bush.
Since 1900 the remaining forest has been protected. The 'Otari Open Air Museum' was established in 1926 to conserve native plants and to educate and encourage people to use them. This vision remains today as a central aim of Otari-Wilton's Bush. | |
| A canopy walkway opened in 1999 leads from the Information Centre through the very tops of the tallest forest trees and provides a key link to one of the main garden areas. It is also a unique experience. You enter through impressive 'wharoa', or gateways, carved by Bryce Manu of Te Ataiwa. From the walkway, 18m (58 feet) above the forest floor, you can see and enjoy mature rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum), rewarewa (Knightia excelsa) in flower, matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia) and totara (Podocarpus totara). The treetops are where bird life is especially active, and the gardens resident kereru (native 'woodpigeons') whosh past on their hunt for food. This is an experience that, normally, only a lumberjack can normally enjoy- and lumberjacks are no longer allowed into protected Otari-Wilton's Bush! |
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| The information here is believed to be correct but changes do occur. There may be closures and changes to times of opening. Entrance fees may vary without notice. bestgardening.com cannot take any responsibility for any errors, changes or omissions. Visitors travelling a distance to visit a garden are advised to check opening times with the owners before setting out. |
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