Oamaru Botanical Gardens

Oamaru, New Zealand, New Zealand

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Oamaru Public Gardens, often called Oamaru Botanical Gardens, are among New Zealand's oldest public gardens, officially opened in October 1876 on a 13.7-hectare (34-acre) site set aside as a public reserve when the town was surveyed in 1858, making them one of the oldest public gardens in the country (only Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland are older). Located in the heart of Oamaru on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island in North Otago, the gardens have entrances on Chelmer and Severn Streets and are registered as a 5-star 'Garden of Significance' that has captivated and charmed visitors for over a century. The Victorian-era gardens reflect Oamaru's unique heritage and serve as a botanical expression of the town's Victorian history, with canopies of mature trees creating tranquil spaces filled with themed plantings linked by pathways that meander around streams and ponds, providing relaxing places to unwind from Oamaru Creek which meanders along the garden's length. The gardens feature a colourful cucina annuals bed, an immaculate rose garden as a centerpiece, a rhododendron dell and azalea lawn, a native fernery with extensive planting of New Zealand natives, a Chinese garden linked to a distinctive red lacquer Japanese bridge over the creek, an Oriental Garden, a Fragrant Garden, large trees around the band rotunda, an aviary and peacock house, and a children's play area.