Friends of Wellington Botanic Garden

07/10/2026

Although this isn't directly about our beloved Garden, cultivating curious minds is every bit as important as cultivating healthy gardens.
Here is a list of the great information session that are being run at the Central library (65 Victoria St, Wellington Central) to celebrate this special week together to give back to our beloved kaumātua communities.

MONDAY 12 OCTOBER
History presentation: Rare Books Show and Tell, 10 – 11am
Midday Movie, 12-2pm
Information Talk: Looking for Health Information, 2-3pm

TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER:
Information Talk: Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Life, 10:30 – 11:30am
Digital Workshop: Introduction to our eLibrary, 11:30am – 12:30pm
Digital Workshop: Digital Help: Drop-in Session, 12:30 – 2:30pm
Makerspace Workshop: Makerspace Laser Cutting Workshop for Seniors, 3 – 4pm (Registrations required to attend)

WEDNESDAY 14 OCTOBER:
Local History Talk: Wellington: from Conception to Capital to Empire City, 11am-12pm
Live music: Avatar, a 17-piece Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band

THURSDAY 15 OCTOBER:
Tour: Library Behind the Scenes and Stack Tour, 1:30 – 2:30pm

FRIDAY 16 OCTOBER:
History presentation: Rare Books Show and Tell,11am – 12pm

SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER:
Author Talk: Simon Lamb 'The Oldest Rocks on Earth', 2 – 3pm

🌟 And of course there are more special one-off sessions happening at our branch network libraries too, such as:

Information Talk: What Does Digital Inclusion Really Mean? - at Karori Library, Thurs 15 Oct, 11am-12pm

Information Talk: Preparing Your Digital Legacy - at Waitohi Johnsonville, Friday, 16 October 2026, 10:30 – 11:30am

23/08/2026

STOP 🛑

We have had to postpone the plant sale because of personal reasons.

Please accept our apologies and keep watching the page for the new date and time.

PLANT SALE - PLANT SALE - PLANT SALE - PLANT SALE
Don't miss out

Thurs 3 Sept 4.00 till 6.30pm.
Top Table Car Terminus Upland Road
Indoor assorted plants ex Begonia House. Need to know more? See you at the top of the cable car on the 3rd.

20/08/2026

Your donations in action.
The Friends scholarship recipient for 2026 is Victoria University PhD student Finn McKinlay.
He is studying which nurse species most effectively accelerate native reforestation on former agricultural land, comparing mānuka, kānuka, and gorse to determine how each influences seedling survival, forest succession, and long‑term ecosystem diversity.
Here is a summary of his latest report:
GPS mapping has allowed all existing and newly established survey plots to be accurately located, and these coordinates—combined with aerial imagery—have been used to create a GIS map showing plot relationships and estimated gorse cover. The research results are not yet known, with one final measurement round scheduled for December–January, though confidence is high that the hypothesis can be assessed by year’s end.
Early observations show strong growth in sheltered gullies and more mixed results in exposed areas, with potential for further analysis to identify which species are best suited to tougher sites.

20/08/2026

The shrink-wrap is rolling back to expose the new improved and totally beautiful refurbished Begonia House. Counting down the days till the reopening in May 2027.

15/08/2026

13/08/2026

Exciting things are happening in the Treehouse.
Sandra Morris is exhibiting her perfect works celebrating New Zealand moths and their habitat.

Her show runs from 1 September - 30 September.

Sandra Morris will be a familiar name as she held the Friends Artist in Residence in 2024. However, she is far more famous than that. Sandra is a world recognised and much loved Kiwi who has captivated our interest in the natural world since her early days of illustrating articles in the School Journal.

06/08/2026

Begonia House update: More than just glass
A major milestone has been reached in the Begonia House redevelopment, with the installation of the new glass now underway.
Choosing the right glass wasn't simply an architectural decision. Begonia House is an ecosystem, and the building itself plays an important role in helping the plant collection thrive.
Just like houseplants at home, many of the plants in Begonia House are particular about their light. Too much direct sun can scorch their leaves, while too little light affects their growth. Finding the right balance took careful planning, with advice from horticultural experts and other botanic gardens, alongside consideration of Wellington's unique climate and changing seasons.
The new laminated safety glass has a special white interlayer that diffuses sunlight. This allows plenty of natural daylight to reach the plants while protecting them from harsh direct sun. It also creates a more comfortable environment for visitors, improves safety and durability, and removes the need for the regular whitewashing previously used to shade the glass.
The foyer and café will feature clear glazing, making the most of the beautiful garden views.
It's a huge undertaking with around 1,450 panes of glass and enough aluminium bars and flashings to stretch 6 kilometres! Sustainability has also been a focus throughout the project. During demolition, 21,950 kg of glass and 4,400 kg of aluminium were recycled.
This project has only been possible thanks to the incredible support of our community, the Friends of Wellington Botanic Garden, and our project partners: LT McGuinness, Ignite Architects, ABS, Silvester Clark, Local, and The Glass Group.
We can't wait to welcome you back when Begonia House reopens in May 2027.

06/08/2026

Where are the plants?
Over 900 plants were removed from the begonia house before construction commenced in February 2026. They were either rehomed, tucked away in the glasshouses behind the Treehouse or transferred to the main Council nursery awaiting 2027 and the return to the new improved conservatory we fondly call the Begonia House.

The consolidation of plants is a good opportunity for the Garden team to carry out the annual ‘plants under glass’ stocktake. This is for all plants under glass not just the Begonia house plants. With new plants propagated or acquired every year, it’s important to stocktake to make sure we have captured everything and know what species/cultivars they have and how many of each. Keeping an accurate plant collection is a key part of being a Botanic Garden. It supports research, conservation, and education, and means the garden can be a place of research and study for specific plants without needing to travel across the world to see them.

It might sound like a simple counting job, but with over 1,800 individual plants and hundreds of different species, it’s no small task. This is where the team’s specialist knowledge becomes invaluable, and why they are known as the “Specialist Team.” All plants are labelled and this helps, but they can get mixed up or even lost as they are moved around. Some plants make it even trickier, bromeliads, for example, can look almost identical and often can only be properly identified when they flower. Tillandsias (air plants) also present unique challenges, as their small and delicate nature makes individual labelling impractical.

Stocktaking is also for understanding what we have and what needs extra care. Some specimens are rare or difficult to replace, if we only have one or two specimens then this makes us very aware of the need to propagate. With New Zealand’s strict biosecurity laws, importing plants is challenging, and while these regulations play a crucial role in protecting the environment, it does mean some species would be very hard to reacquire if lost. Many of these special plants are also challenging to propagate, and once again, the Specialist Team’s expertise ensures these valuable additions continue to thrive within the collection.
The stocktake is all part of making sure these plants are here for you to discover when Begonia House reopens in May 2027, and into the future.