Christchurch Botanic Gardens

From the road you can see into the gardens through a web of dark green wrought iron. A Victorian fence springing from a low brick wall.

Through the fog on an autumn morning the trees are shrouded. Trees as old as the city itself tower above, their leaves on the ground, golden and red. One can imagine Sherlock Holmes striding out of the mist along the asphalt paths, or hear the dogs of the hunt in the distance. Others might picture the demure ladies of some great Austen novel strolling with parasols, even in the damp.

The Botanic Gardens in New Zealand's Garden City of Christchurch are like a grand old estate in the very heart of the city. When you visit you become it's master and mistress, lording over acres and acres of trees, shrubs and flowers.

There are huge swathes of colour in herbaceous borders. A gently flowing river winding it's way through a sea of azalea blossoms, or daffodils, or blue bells and wintersweet.

There are bridges, and shady rests, and fragrant walks of lavender and sweet mock orange. Gothic rooflines of conservatories, and hot-houses. Standing by the tall green hedges in summer, you close your eyes and sway, senses stunned not by the loss of vision, but by the fragrance from hundreds of roses. And the bees hum together there in a symphony.

The Garden has a lake and several ponds, and along the Avon huge sweeping bushes hiding trout and a mother duck, and her little brood behind. Children throw sticks into the water and chase their progress. Tourists lie reclined in oak and mahogany punts which glide under the stern hand of the gondolier.

People take Devonshire tea in the Octagonal tea-house, where you can sit in the sun and watch the splash of little feet in the toddler's pool, or if it's quiet enough sit on the swings and sway your way back into childhood.

At dusk the massive iron gates are chained shut, the gardens empty and alone till dawn when the city and it's people claim them again as their own.

For further information, please take a look at the Garden's Web site.

-- Keri Harkness, Contest Winner

The Gardens of the World column is sponsored by the Seed Guild, providers of unusual and rare seeds.

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