Events at the Botanic Gardens

Calling all parents, grandparents and caregivers! Bring your preschool-aged tamariki into the Christchurch Botanic Gardens to enjoy a simple craft or plant-based activity with the Canterbury Horticultural Society.

Stories, toys and colouring-in are available too.

• All welcome - no booking needed (caregiver supervision is required).
• Tea and coffee are provided.
• Gold coin koha entry
• Runs during school term-time.

Enjoy gardening and nature-based activities with your preschooler.

More information is available on the Canterbury Horticultural Society Facebook page(external link).

Join this enthusiastic group of children who meet for practical gardening activities and to learn the science of good gardening with the Canterbury Horticultural Society.

If you know a child between 7 and 14 years of age who would be interested in learning more about all sorts of gardening then get in touch with the CHS(external link). 

• Meet at The Kiosk (just over the footbridge from the Armagh St car park).
• Free, but participants must bring their own face mask and gloves for handling potting mix.

Please note that September's meeting will take place at the Lincoln Events Centre on Sunday 27 September at 1pm so children can explore and discuss the Botanical Expo.

Envirokids is a chance to connect kiwi kids to our environmental community and it's free! 

Every Saturday, the Envirohub(external link) will have activities for kids inspired by the mahi (work) of different organisations who work with the environment. Activities available between 10am-3pm every Saturday (even in the holidays!).

• 10am to 3pm every Saturday at the Kiosk, Botanic Gardens.
• Children that come regularly can record their learning in a special passbook available once they attend their second event.
• EnviroKids is also an accredited Children's University learning destination so stamps are available for participating children's passports.

Find out more information about EnviroKids(external link) or keep up to date on the EnviroKids Facebook(external link). 

• An opportunity to join an on-going conversation or have a one on one chat.
• Free, no bookings required.
• Drop into the Kiosk anytime between 10.30am and 1pm in the Kiosk, Botanic Gardens.

Find more information about Environmental Chat(external link).

Join the Friends of the Botanic Gardens volunteer guides for free daily-guided walks at the Botanic Gardens and monthly-guided walks at Mona Vale. Pick and choose from a wonderful selection of topics or come along to all of them for a dose of exercise, beautiful displays and education rolled into one.

See the walk schedule.

Botanic Gardens Guided Walks

• 1.30pm daily lasting 45 to 90 minutes.
• Meet at the Kiosk, Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

Mona Vale Guided Walks

• 1.30pm on selected dates throughout the month.
• Walks last 90 minutes.
• Meet by the Mona Vale rose garden.

If you have any queries about guided walks at Mona Vale or the Botanic Gardens, please contact friendsofthegardens@gmail.com

Follow the clues to hidden and unseen worlds in our autumn kid's trail in partnership with Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Tūranga, Canterbury Museum and Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

Collect your free trail guide from any of the participating venues, while stocks last, or download a pdf version here [PDF, 6.5 MB].

There are lots to pack in, you may need more than one day to do it all.

Karawhiua! Go for it!

Learn all about Lilies with Freya Flora and the NZ Lily Society

This workshop makes a lovely Mother’s Day gift, especially if you can do it together! We’ll cover the basics of spiralling, to create beautiful hand-tied bouquets and go over flower preparation, care and wrapping. A unique workshop and treat for Mothers young and old!

You can choose if you want pink or white fragrant lilies or if you prefer the non-fragrant variety your choice is white, orange, pink yellow or red. Each participant will take home their beautiful creations. 

The New Zealand Lily Society will be demonstrating how to scale lily bulbs and will provide bulbs to scale and take home.

Venue

The Kiosk – Christchurch Botanic Gardens, conveniently located just over the footbridge from the Armagh Street car park. Tel: 366 6937 or email: office@chsgardens.co.nz.

Costs and payment

• $40 Members & Friends of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
• $50 Non-members.

Become a member of the CHS(external link)(external link) and receive up to 20% off all our courses and workshops. Membership is valid until December 2022.

Hosted by the Canterbury Horticultural Society. Find more information and book your place.(external link)(external link)

Mother’s Day competition

Tag your Mum (or one you know) and the CHS, in any social media post about this workshop and go in the draw to win a place. Mums can also tag their kids, sometimes they need reminding how great they are. 

Everyone who purchases a workshop place will go in the draw to win a surprise gift hamper full of gorgeous goodies.

The workshop place to be won will be on one of the following workshops:

• Lovely Lilies(external link)(external link) – 3 May
• Macramé Plant Hangers(external link)(external link) – 5 May
• Kokedama(external link)(external link) – 10 May
• Terrariums(external link)(external link) – 12 May

Entries close Friday 29 April. 

Entrants will be notified on Facebook and by Messenger.

Facebook event(external link).

Display your trailing plants in eco-friendly hangers!

Learn how to make two macramé hangers for trailing plants. One basic design will get you into the swing of it before we explore different knots that will allow you to create your own individual design.

With handouts and newfound skills, you will be able to create even more at home.

Venue

The Kiosk – Christchurch Botanic Gardens, conveniently located just over the footbridge from the Armagh Street car park. Tel: 366 6937 or email: office@chsgardens.co.nz.

Costs and payment

• $40 Members & Friends of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
• $50 Non-members.

Become a Member of the CHS(external link) and receive up to 20% off all our courses and workshops. Membership is valid until December 2022.

Hosted by the Canterbury Horticultural Society. Find more information and book your place.(external link)

Mother’s Day competition

Tag your Mum (or one you know) and the CHS, in any social media post about this workshop and go in the draw to win a place. Mums can also tag their kids, sometimes they need reminding how great they are. 

Everyone who purchases a workshop place will go in the draw to win a surprise gift hamper full of gorgeous goodies.

The workshop place to be won will be on one of the following workshops:

• Lovely Lilies(external link) – 3 May
• Macramé Plant Hangers(external link) – 5 May
• Kokedama(external link) – 10 May
• Terrariums(external link) – 12 May

Entries close Friday 29 April. 

Entrants will be notified on Facebook and by Messenger.

Facebook Event(external link).

Join the Friends of the Botanic Gardens volunteer guides for free tours of the stunning Mona Vale Gardens throughout winter and early spring. 

Meet at 1.30pm by the Eros statue just between the Rose Garden and car park.

Dates

• Saturday 7 May
• Saturday 21 May
• Saturday 25 June
• Saturday 23 July
• Saturday 27 August
• Saturday 10 September
• Saturday 24 September

Learn how to make your own ornamental moss ball

Join us for this fun and relaxed workshop where you will learn the art of making Kokedama, a Japanese style of planting. Using traditional techniques you will learn how to wrap soil and moss around the roots of a plant to create a beautiful hanging plant that doesn’t require a pot.

Take home your own Kokedama that’s sure to bring some peace and tranquility into your home.

Venue

The Kiosk – Christchurch Botanic Gardens, conveniently located just over the footbridge from the Armagh Street car park. Phone  03 366 6937 or email: office@chsgardens.co.nz.

Costs and payment

• $40 Members and Friends of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
• $50 Non-members.

Become a member of the CHS(external link)(external link) and receive up to 20% off all our courses and workshops. Membership is valid until December 2022.

Hosted by the Canterbury Horticultural Society. Find more information and book your place.(external link)(external link)

Mother’s Day competition

Tag your Mum (or one you know) and the CHS, in any social media post about this workshop and go in the draw to win a place. Mums can also tag their kids, sometimes they need reminding how great they are. 

Everyone who purchases a workshop place will go in the draw to win a surprise gift hamper full of gorgeous goodies.

The workshop place to be won will be on one of the following workshops:

• Lovely Lilies(external link)(external link) – 3 May
• Macramé Plant Hangers(external link)(external link) – 5 May
• Kokedama(external link)(external link) – 10 May
• Terrariums(external link)(external link) – 12 May. 

Entries close Friday 29 April. 

Entrants will be notified on Facebook and by Messenger.

Facebook Event(external link).

Create a miniature world of plants to take home!

Learn all about terrariums: possible containers, the tools required, suitable plants, moisture/drainage, soil and whether to seal or leave open. Then get your hands dirty and take home your own mini one to get you started.

 A two-hour workshop including all materials run by Allan Paterson of Magic Moss(external link).

Venue

The Kiosk – Christchurch Botanic Gardens, conveniently located just over the footbridge from the Armagh Street car park. Tel: 366 6937 or email: office@chsgardens.co.nz.

Costs and payment

• $40 Members and Friends of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
• $50 Non-members.

Become a member of the CHS(external link) and receive up to 20% off all our courses and workshops. Membership is valid until December 2022.

Hosted by the Canterbury Horticultural Society. Find more information and book your place.(external link)

Mother’s Day competition

Tag your Mum (or one you know) and the CHS, in any social media post about this workshop and go in the draw to win a place. Mums can also tag their kids, sometimes they need reminding how great they are. 

Everyone who purchases a workshop place will go in the draw to win a surprise gift hamper full of gorgeous goodies.

The workshop place to be won will be on one of the following workshops:

• Lovely Lilies(external link) – 3 May
• Macramé Plant Hangers(external link) – 5 May
• Kokedama(external link) – 10 May
• Terrariums(external link) – 12 May

Entries close Friday 29 April. 

Entrants will be notified on Facebook and by Messenger.

Facebook Event(external link).

Join the Friends of the Botanic Gardens for their monthly speaker series.

May's speaker is Dr Terry Heiler, holder of a PhD in agricultural engineering. Terry, who has been involved in many large scale water resource projects in New Zealand and overseas, will talk about the big changes taking place here and internationally to better manage water for future generations. 

• $5 for CHS and Friends' members.
• $10 for the general public.
• Refreshments included.

Friends talks are hosted in the Kiosk - just over the footbridge from the Armagh Street car park, and near the children's play area. 

Join the Friends of the Botanic Gardens for their monthly speaker series.

June's talk is something a bit different - a field trip to Texture Plants in Prebbleton.

Owner Hamish Prebble will talk about plants, plants and more plants as he shows you around his company.

More details to come.

Join the Friends of the Botanic Gardens for their monthly speaker series.

May's speaker is Dr Chris Winefield, Associate Professor in Plant Genomics and Molecular Biology at Lincoln University. Dr Winefield will talk about colour variation in flowering plants caused by viral infections. 

• $5 for CHS and Friends' members.
• $10 for the general public.
• Refreshments included.

Friends talks are hosted in the Kiosk - just over the footbridge from the Armagh Street car park, and near the children's play area. 

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