Immerse yourself in botanical history in this ornamental garden, founded in 1887 to commemorate the 50th jubilee of Queen Victoria's coronation. It's set around a horseshoe-shaped pond, with a bridge leading to a walled Chinese-style garden.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Suter Art Gallery

0.06 MILES

Redeveloped in 2016 with a series of contemporary, light-filled exhibition spaces, Nelson’s public art gallery presents changing exhibitions from a…

2. Botanical Reserve

0.3 MILES

Walking tracks through this 12-hectare reserve ascend Botanical Hill, where a spire proclaims the Centre of New Zealand. The actual centre is 55km…

3. Nelson Provincial Museum

0.36 MILES

This modern museum is filled with a jumble of cultural heritage and natural history exhibits with a strong regional focus, including an almost Easter…

4. Christ Church Cathedral

0.41 MILES

The enduring symbol of Nelson, Christ Church lords it over the city from the top of Pikimai/Church Hill. It's an unusual mix of Gothic and art-deco style,…

5. Founders Heritage Park

0.89 MILES

A collection of heritage buildings has been relocated to this site, 2km northeast of the city centre, creating a Victorian-era village complete with a…

6. Tahunanui Beach

2.39 MILES

Nelson's primo playground takes the form of a long sandy beach (with lifeguards in summer) backed by dunes and a large grassy park with a playground, an…

7. Nelson Classic Car Museum

3.17 MILES

Nelson is the birthplace of NZ's most eccentric fashion show, the annual World of WearableArt Awards (now staged in Wellington). You can see a selection…

8. McCashin’s Brewery

4.6 MILES

McCashin’s was a forerunner of the craft brewing craze in NZ, which started way back in the 1980s. Visit the historic Rochdale Cider building in Stoke …