Children's Garden 2016
The Children’s Garden – planned to open in 2016 – will fire the imagination of children and inspire adventures.
This “living classroom” will be a fun place for children to learn about the plants that provide our food, clothes, houses and medicine.
Why we need a Children's Garden
Many of us live in cities so children have fewer opportunities to connect with nature and plants.
But with natural resources getting scarce, learning about horticulture, sustainability and the vital role plants play in our lives is critical for our planet.
This is a unique opportunity to get children involved and encourage environmental and botanical awareness in future generations.
With 1.2 million visitors a year, the Botanic Garden is already one of Wellington’s most popular destinations. We expect the Children’s Garden to attract many more local, national and international visitors.
What the Children's Garden will be
Check out this video on the possibilities for the garden.
A living outdoor classroom
The garden will be a learning space where children will:
- learn traditional plant skills and uses
- find out about the medicinal properties of native plants
- work with plants important to other cultures.
Wellington Botanic Garden will maintain the Children's Garden, and provide an educator to work with school groups and visitors.
Visitors enter the Children's Garden through The Trench - a tunnel with planted sides that takes you underneath a 4m-high lookout.
This will be a hands-on, interactive garden where children can:
- explore the 'Muesli Mix' garden and discover the berry, nut and grain crops that go into their muesli
- find 'incredible edibles' in the Fast-Food Garden and see what's growing wild in the forest
- explore the Log Trail
- climb into the Pohutukawa tree pod
- hop through the Orchard Play Trail.
There will be places to see water in action - with dams, a water race and wetlands.
Children can connect with the 'good guys' of the garden at the Insect Hotel and discover the important role that insects play in the garden.
Children's Garden Design Concept Map (307KB PDF)
What can I do to help?
Jump onto the official Children's Garden website to fine out what it happening.
Pledge towards making this amazing facility a reality. We are almost there but just need a little bit more to get over the line.
The Children's Garden will be built on a 1,500 square metre hill-top site with fantastic views near the Treehouse Visitor Centre and plant nursery.
The Trench is the main entrance, close to the Treehouse Visitor Centre. There will also be an entrance at the top nearer the Cable Car and Children's Playground.