Public pick pop-up gardens for Cathedral Square

The three pop-up garden designs that proved most popular with the public will be brought to life in Cathedral Square.

The designs were chosen by public vote from a shortlist of six following a design competition run as part of Christchurch City Council’s Enliven Places programme.

“We asked people to think outside the box and come up with some really imaginative garden designs and that’s exactly what they did,’’ says Council Head of Urban Design, Regeneration and Heritage Carolyn Ingles.

“The three designs the public have chosen as their favourites meet the brief we set perfectly and will bring a pop of nature and a splash of colour to Cathedral Square over the summer months,’’ Ms Ingles says.

The three garden designs chosen by the public are:

• Time to Heal – A garden designed in the belief we all need to take time out of our busy lives to rest and heal our bodies and minds. The design incorporates healing plants used in rongoā Māori and other traditional medicines.

• Noodlescape – Colourful pool noodles feature in this contemporary garden design that invites playfulness while creating a sense of pride in the future of Christchurch.
• Stained Glass Tunnel – This design responds to the surrounding architecture of Christchurch City and uses tinted acrylic panels set within a laser-cut steel pergola to create the look of a stained glass tunnel set among lush greenery.

The designers of the gardens will have four weeks to build and install their gardens in Cathedral Square before they open to the public in early December.

The designers will be supported by industry partners Rough and Milne, Grounds and Services, and Evergreen to help deliver their garden designs.

“These pop-up gardens will bring fresh vitality to the Square, helping to regenerate the focal point of Christchurch and enhancing the central city experience,’’ Ms Ingles says.

It is envisaged the gardens will remain in the Square until April.