Events at the Botanic Gardens

You are invited to join a number of events throughout the year at the New Zealand World Peace Bell located in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

Celebrate, commemorate and have a go at ringing the bell.

Annual events

The World Peace Bell Association(external link) organises all of the above ceremonies with the exception of UN Holocaust Memorial Day, Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembrance and Joya-no-kane 108 Bells.

Sometimes new events are added so please check back for commemorations of interest.

Find out more about the New Zealand World Peace Bell.

10am to 11.30am, Mondays during the school term.

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).

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 that work with the environment.

Activities are available between 10am to 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). 

10.30am to 1.30pm Thursdays.

Pop in for an environmental chat if you need inspiration or advice on anything from starting a new environmental project,  volunteer challenges,  funding advice for green projects, sustainability at home or waste and recycling processes.

The EnviroHub are here to help:

• An opportunity to join an ongoing 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 guided walks at the Botanic Gardens (October to April) and Mona Vale Gardens (year-round).

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

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

Mona Vale guided walks

• Selected dates throughout the year.
• 1.30pm, lasting approx. 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.

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

May 2024

Peri-urban Potential - Rethinking the land around cities for housing and food production

Join Dr Shannon Davis, senior lecturer in Landscape Planning at Lincoln University, and a research leader within the Centre of Excellence: Designing Future Productive Landscapes.

Over the last 100 years, New Zealand has actively zoned food production out of our cities. Shannon will address the question "How can landscapes for both people and production prosper within peri-urban New Zealand through spatial design and reconnect New Zealanders with the land and with food?".

Venue

The Kiosk, Christchurch Botanic Gardens. This is the first building you see when crossing the footbridge into the Gardens from the car park off Armagh Street.

Date and time

10.30am Friday 17 May

Cost

Friends and CHS members $5, general public $10. Pay on arrival. Morning tea provided.

Create a gorgeous ceramic leaf plate.

Craft your own botanical clay patterns: let your creativity flourish.

Join ceramicist Jane McCulla for a hands-on practical workshop at The Kiosk in the Botanic Gardens. Jane will demonstrate how to imprint botanical textures onto clay and hand-build a ceramic plate. You’ll also learn how to add a circular foot ring and smooth the edges.

Jane will take care of the glazing and firing and two weeks later you’ll collect a glazed leaf plate imprinted with botanical patterns and suitable for everyday use.

The workshop includes all materials, glazing and kiln firing. Check out some of Jane's creations on her Facebook page(external link).

Venue

The Kiosk, Christchurch Botanic Gardens. This is the first building you see when crossing the footbridge from the car park off Armagh Street.

Date and time

• 10am to 12.30pm Tuesday 4 June
• 1pm to 3.30pm Sunday 9 June.

Cost

Friends and CHS members $52, general public $58.

Contact

office@chsgardens.co.nz or phone 03 366 6937.

Purchase tickets and find out more on the CHS website.(external link)

Join the Canterbury Horticultural Society (CHS) for their monthly meet-up and enjoy fascinating talks, gardening tips and more.

Carolyn Collins - Phone photos can be phenomenal

"I'm a very late bloomer in the photographic sense, catching the photography bug around 10 years ago when I was in my late 60s. I lament the lost years where when I could have been enjoying experimenting with all these genres that I love so much. As my Instagram says... so many images to take, so little time.

Recently I've discovered that phone cameras take excellent photos and all kinds of effects can be used to make them look as though they were taken on an expensive camera. My phone is not new nor expensive so with a few tricks, you too, can do this.  One free app which I'll speak about is Snapseed."

Please install this on your phone, so that we can practice tips together. If you have any blooms/small houseplants, please bring them to practice on.

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for you becoming as addicted as I am.

The Tree People - Winter tree pruning

Ra and Jared will do a short demo and discussion on winter pruning.

Please email any questions and problems (with photos) to raoni@thetreepeople.nz and they'll try and answer them on the day.

Venue

The Kiosk, Christchurch Botanic Gardens. This is the first building you see when coming across the footbridge from the car park off Armagh Street.

Date and time

1pm to 3pm Wednesday 5 June.

Cost

Friends and CHS members $5, general public $10. Pay at the door. Afternoon tea refreshments are provided.

For more information visit the CHS website.(external link)

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