Otari Native Botanic Garden & Wilton's Bush Reserve

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New Zealand - Wellington

Institution Code: OTARI

BGCI Member: Yes

About the Otari Native Botanic Garden & Wilton's Bush Reserve

Otari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush Reserve is the only public botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated solely to native plants. It is classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture.

This unique plant sanctuary and forest reserve consists of 100 hectares of native forest, and five hectares of plant collections. Some of Wellington's oldest trees are here, including an 800-year-old rimu.

The Otari-Wilton's Bush plant collections contain about 1,200 species, hybrids and cultivars. Almost all the plants have been grown from cuttings or seeds collected from their original habitats. The collections include plants from New Zealand's mainland and off-shore islands.

Main Address:
Otari Native Botanic Garden & Wilton's Bush Reserve
160 Wilton Road, Wilton
Mailing: Wellington City Council, P.O. Box 2199
Wellington
6012 New Zealand

Telephone: (04) 475 3245
Fax: (04) 475 9417
URL: www.wellington.govt.nz
Primary Email: otari@wcc.govt.nz

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: David Sole
    Curator's Name: Rewi Elliot
    Plant Records Officer's Name: Eleanor Burton
  • Total Staff:
    Horticultural Staff Number: 5
    Educational Staff Number:
    Research Staff Number:
    Administration Staff Number: 1

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: Municipal: Yes
  • Date founded: 1926
  • Physical Data
  • Natural Vegetation Area: Yes
    Natural vegetation area: Size: 95 Hectares
  • Landscaped Area: Yes
    Landscaped Area: Size: 5 Hectares
  • Total Area: 100 Hectares
    Latitude: -41.26554
    Longitude: 174.75114
    Annual Rainfall: 1240 mm
    Altitude: 0.00 Metres

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: No
    Arboretum: No
  • Micropropagation/ Tissue Culture Facilities: No
    Seed Bank: No
    Published Plant Catalogue: No
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: Yes
    Friends society: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Shop: No
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: No
    Disabled access: Yes
  • Number of Visitors: 80000
    Number of Volunteers: 70

Plant Collections

  • Accession Number: 3000
    Cultivation Taxa Num: 1000
  • Special Collections:New Zealand native flora, with collections of Olearia, Carmichaelia, Pittosporum, Coprosma, Sophora, Hebe, grasses and sedges, ferns, gymnosperms, alpines, and offshore island.

Conservation Programmes

  • Conservation Programme: Yes
    Medicinal Plant Programme: No
    Ex Situ Conservation Programme: Yes
    Reintroduction Programme: Yes

Research Programmes

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: Yes
    Education Signs in Garden: Yes
    Public Lectures/Talks: Yes
    Guided Tours: Yes
    Permanent Public Displays: Yes