Christchurch, the Garden City

Garden Parks of Christchurch

Edmonds Factory Garden

Thomas Edmonds, the manufacturer of the famous brand of baking powder, commissioned this garden around his new factory, built in 1923.

The garden and factory, featuring on the cover of the best-selling Edmonds Cookery Book, have been a horticultural delight for generations of visitors and residents of the city, winning many awards in civic beautifying competitions. It has consistently been a popular site for outdoor wedding photography.

Until the late 1980s, a succession of gardeners was employed full- time to maintain and develop the formal geometric beds, smooth lawns and plantings of annuals. Recent developments have developed new, enclosed areas of a more natural style with an emphasis on low maintenance, featuring permanent plantings of evergreen shrubs and dwarf conifers.

The City Council acquired a major portion of the original Edmonds Factory Garden in 1991, after the building had been demolished and the property sub- divided. Since then, a rose garden and an oval garden have been added. The garden is wellsupported by the local community by sponsorship and a group known as Friends of the Edmonds Factory Garden, which works with the City Council to care for the garden.

Useful links

• City Scene: Former Edmonds staff sought for reunion
• Our Environment - Issue#18 [Autumn 2000]: Wardens help care for our city parks and rivers
• City Scene [September 1999]: Secret garden gets face-lift
• City Scene [October 2000]: Award winning garden set up to enhance clean, green image