Botanical Gardens, Napier

Napier’s Botanical Gardens, established in the mid-1800s, offer a peaceful escape on Napier Hill just minutes from the city centre. Spanning 18 acres, the gardens remain one of the city’s oldest and most scenic green spaces. Visitors will find shaded walking paths, a duck pond, a small budgerigar aviary, and trees that are over a century old. The gardens were originally the town’s only public park until the reclamation of Napier South and still maintain a tranquil charm that contrasts with the bustle below.

The gardens were formally set aside in 1855 following a recommendation by Alfred Domett, Commissioner of Crown Lands, who had been tasked with planning the new township. His proposal set aside 18 acres for botanical purposes and 4.5 acres for a cemetery nearby. By the time Napier became a borough in 1874, the Provincial Government had already developed the gardens. Later improvements, such as the duck pond and aviary built in 1961, helped rejuvenate the area and increase public engagement, while the Napier City Council’s efforts to identify and tag mature specimen trees added educational value to the gardens’ appeal.

For those interested in heritage, the gardens also preserve traces of earlier eras. The site includes remnants of two historic wells that once supplied water to maintain the grounds. The terracotta fountain at the top end, restored in 1970, is a focal point-although it has lost its upper tier to vandalism in more recent years. Historic features such as the Military Track, old Maori middens, the former site of the sexton’s cottage, and a disused military well speak to the land’s layered past and changing use over time.

Visitors can explore various walking tracks that weave through the gardens and lead to scenic views, especially near the old Napier Cemetery, which borders the upper section. While the cemetery is not officially part of the Botanical Gardens, the proximity adds depth to the visit, offering a moment of reflection on the area’s early European and Māori histories.