Join us for one of our upcoming events at the Gardens. We look forward to seeing you!

Stay up to date with our seasonal Botanic Gardens newsletter

Sign up

Download a map of the Botanic Gardens [PDF, 2.2 MB] showing all event locations.

Agents of Discovery

Any time, self guided.

Discover the world at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens! Join Agents of Discovery(external link), the not so secret, secret agency dedicated to learning outdoors and solving challenges. Use the clues around you to solve mysteries of nature, culture and technology that change every season.

  • Download the FREE app to your mobile device on the Play(external link) or Apple(external link) Stores, select the Botanic Gardens as the mission you'd like to play and discover a secret world at the Botanic Gardens.
  • Once downloaded, the game can be played offline so you don't need to worry about data or wifi.
  • Runs all summer long from 21 December.

If you have any questions about the game, feel free to message the Botanic Gardens' Facebook(external link) or email GardensEvents@ccc.govt.nz with your query.

Enchanted Garden exhibition

10am to 4pm, Monday to Sunday

The flamboyant fabric creations of local costume artist Jenny Gillies are on show in the Old Information Centre - come see the riot of larger-than-life flowers and fruit on display.

  • $5 entry, children under five free 
  • Old Information Centre, opposite the Armagh Street car park footbridge

For more information, visit www.jennygillies.com(external link)

Kidsfest: Guardians of the Gardens

Saturday 6 July to Sunday 21 July

Become an eco-hero these holidays! Join the Guardians of the Gardens and learn all about healthy waterways, insect superheroes, recycling, pests and and nature craft.

  • Free
  • Self guided trail. Pick up a map from the Kiosk or Visitor Centre
  • Parent/guardian/caregiver required.

Find out more information.(external link)

Gardens of Melancholy: Reflection, Contemplation and Memory

10.30am, Friday 19 July

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens are proud to present July's speaker - Dr Jacky Bowring, Professor of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University.

Dr Bowring's interests lie in the emotional and experiential dimensions of landscape. The emotion of melancholy is a focus for her research, including places for contemplation, reflection and 'beautiful sadness'. A registered landscape architect, Jacky brings theories of emotion into designing, including her current work on the memorial landscape for the Pike River Mine Tragedy.

  • Meet in The Kiosk (the building opposite the Armagh Street footbridge entrance to the Gardens)
  • $5 for Friends members, $10 for general public
  • Refreshments included

Winter pruning workshops: Roses

10.15am, Saturday 27 July

Join the Canterbury Horticultural Society for a rose pruning demonstration in the Botanic Gardens.

Start the demonstration with a short talk in The Kiosk before walking over to the Central Rose Garden for a rose pruning demonstration.

  • Meet at The Kiosk, opposite the Armagh Street footbridge entrance to the Botanic Gardens
  • $5 for CHS and Friends members, $10 for the general public

Winter pruning workshops: Shrubs and small trees

10.30am Saturday 3 August

Join the Canterbury Horticultural Society for a shrub and small tree pruning demonstration at Mona Vale.

The demonstration will take place at multiple sites in Mona Vale gardens.

  • Meet in the Mona Vale car park beside the Rose Garden
  • $5 for CHS and Friends members, $10 for the general public

Winter pruning workshops: Fruit trees

11am Sunday 11 August

Join the Canterbury Horticultural Society for a fruit tree pruning demonstration.

The pruning will cover pears, apples, nashi, plums, plumcots, apricots, nectarines and container grown fruit.

  • Meet at the front gate of 87 Farrington Ave, Bishopdale
  • $5 for CHS and Friends members, $10 for the general public

The study and cultivation of willows in New Zealand

10.30am, Friday 16 August

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens are proud to present August's speaker - David Glenny, Taxonomist at the Allan Herbarium, Manaaki Whenua Lincoln.

David will present his talk 'The study and cultivation of willows in New Zealand', which will include an introduction to an online interactive key to the willows. David has published this online interactive key for the species and hybrids present in New Zealand and is completing an electronic flora account of the group.

  • Meet in The Kiosk (the building opposite the Armagh Street footbridge entrance to the Gardens)
  • $5 for Friends members, $10 for general public
  • Refreshments included

HortSkills: Intermediate Level

5.30pm to 7.30pm Thursdays, August 29 to September 26 9am to 1.30pm Saturday 14 September

The Canterbury Horticultural Society is hosting HortSkills: Intermediate Level, a horticultural course aimed for those who have moved beyond the foundations.

This five week, six session course will cover weeds, lawn care, plants for garden design, propagation, plant parts, functions and botany. Sessions take place on Thursday evenings with the exception of one practical session on a Saturday morning.

  • The Kiosk, opposite the Armagh Street footbridge entrance to the Botanic Gardens
  • $150 per person, 10% discount for returning students.

Register for the course.(external link)

Eat Your Weeds Workshop

10am to 12pm, Wednesday 11 September

Did you know that many common weeds are actually edible, not to mention tasty and nutritious? The Canterbury Horticultural Society will host Tuahiwi Botanicals who are presenting a workshop on edible (and not so edible) weeds. You will learn the basics of identifying what you can and can't eat, how to safely taste plants and what you can make with them - pesto and herbal tea anyone?

Palm trees, an illustrated talk

4pm, Sunday 22 September

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens are proud to present September's speaker, Guillaume Jacob, Curator of the American Section, Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

Guillaume will speak about the diversity of palm trees and illustrate his talk by visiting the variety of species in the Gardens.

  • Meet in The Kiosk (the building opposite the Armagh Street footbridge entrance to the Gardens)
  • $5 for Friends members, $10 for general public
  • Refreshments included

Banks and Solander celebration of 250 years

4pm, Sunday 20 October

The Friends' of the Botanic Gardens are proud to present October's speaker, Ewen Cameron, Curator of Botany at Auckland Museum.

Ewen will present his talk 'Banks and Solander celebration 250 years: The first descriptions, illustrations and scientific collections of the New Zealand Flora'.

Ewen has been the Curator of Botany at Auckland Museum for over 25 years. Through field work and herbarium research, Ewen has built up a life time of knowledge of northern New Zealand vascular flora. He has looked at over 1400 herbarium specimens, spread over ten herbaria, while researching what Banks and Solander collected in New Zealand. The Auckland Museum holds a full set of the New Zealand section of Banks' 'Florilegium', also a proof set of the 'Florilegium' from the 1890s, as well as 543 Banks and Solander herbarium specimens.

  • Meet in The Kiosk (the building opposite the Armagh Street footbridge entrance to the Gardens)
  • $5 for Friends members, $10 for general public
  • Refreshments included

Banks & Solander by Dame Anne Salmond

Time to be confirmed, Friday 25 October

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens are proud to present Dame Anne Salmond who will present a display on the Banks and Solander plant collection.

  • Meet in The Kiosk (the building opposite the Armagh Street footbridge entrance to the Gardens)
  • Price to be confirmed

Volunteer

To get involved in volunteering in the Botanic Gardens, join the Friends' of the Botanic Gardens(external link).