Auckland Botanic Gardens, Auckland

On the edge of the large Central Lawn area is the Potter Children’s Garden which is designed with the little ones in mind. There is a maze and an interactive walled garden with stories of the puriri tree and native wood pigeon. On the other side of the lawn is the Discovery centre, the rose garden and an area of beautiful camellias from both New Zealand and Japan and China.

Location : Botanic Gardens, Hill Road, Manurewa

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This area is particularly lovely from the months to October to April where you will see a bright display of these perennials in borders and clusters.

Location : Botanic Gardens, Hill Road, Manurewa

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On the edge of the Lower Lake you will find the Women’s Suffrage Garden which commemorates the women’s movement as well as the Peace Garden which has been designed to commemorate the Hiroshima Bombing.

Location : Botanic Gardens, Hill Road, Manurewa

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A section of the botanic gardens is dedicated to African Plants. Here you will see wonderful proteas, bird of paradise and ericas along with other succulents and bulbs.

Location : Botanic Gardens, Hill Road, Manurewa

If you are disabled or not able to walk around the gardens, you can ask at the visitors desk for access to drive around the loop road of the gardens. In doing this you can stop your car at any time (pulled over to the side) and be able to enjoy much of the gardens at leisure. This can only be don eon week days. You can also borrow a wheelchair for use at the gardens. They only have 3 so if you go at a busy time you would be busy to pre-book it. A deposit is required but this will be returned when the chair is taken back

Location : Botanic Gardens, Hill Road, Manurewa

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The Auckland Botanic Gardens are located more or less outside the city of Aucland, next to the Southern Motorway to Hamilton on Hill Road, Manurewa.

In this park (64 hectares) are a lot of walkways, which lead the visitor to the different species of plants and trees. A map, available on the internet or at the Visitor Centre in the entrance hall, and information signs allowed us to walk around and to understand what we did see.
It is also possible (only on Sunday afternoons) to make a ride on the so called Wiri Rambler, a tractor with two carriages.

Off course most of the plants are native, but there is also a large collection of foreign species. On some places the Gardens are beautiful and interesting, but to be honest there are also some dull spots.

Auckland Botanic Gardens offer a Visitor Information Centre, a giftshop and a café.
It is open daily (see website) and admission is free of charge.
The gardens are easy accessible by car and public transportation.

The gardens opened in 1982 and are set on 65 hectares. They have become Auckland’s premier horticultural showcase. There are a number of self-guided tours which come with information signs which fully explain the plantings. There is a full selection of NZ native plants and trees as well as camellias and roses. Admission is free and the gardens are just off the Manurewa exit off the Southern motorway.

Open Hours: Gardens: 9am-dusk daily; Kiosk and cafe: 9.30am-3.30pm daily; Library: 11am-3pm Mon, Wed, Sat