Finding the Hidden Gardens of Wellington

We followed the riddles all across Wellington, from sea level in Kilbirnie and Central Park in Brooklyn to a couple of hidden gardens in Wellington city and Mount Victoria. We visited the Botanical Gardens and the dizzy heights of Te Ahumairangi Hill, on a mission of discovery. The apprentice gardeners of Wellington City Council have been busy creating and developing gardens for people to seek out and find – or stumble upon in surprise.

The first four gardens we found were on a rainy Monday afternoon. We’d spent the morning indoors and I was keen to get out in the fresh air, regardless of the weather – besides, it was only a bit of light drizzle!

The first one we sought out had this riddle…

Aerial Gardens of Aotearoa

By Tara Heeran-Harris

We have our own version of New York’s famous park
The historic lamps guide you (not just in the dark)
This gardens’ quite special, as it hangs at great heights
And is planted with Aotearoa’s native epiphytes

On the way up to Brooklyn, below where kids play
Take the path in the middle and from it don’t stray
Look up to the branches for balls hanging like stars
If you get to the stream, you’ve gone a bit far

Which led us to these delightful hanging arrangements …

We used the App made by ScimitAR, a fun reality education game for Hidden Gardens. When we discovered the garden, we pointed the camera on my phone to the sign, which revealed a question, with a number of answers to choose from. The app also hinted at how far or near we were from the gardens (which came in handy with more of the less obvious riddles!) You can download the app from Google Play or iTunes .

We then went on to discover two more gardens, within the city.

One with this riddle…

Fertile Crescent garden

By Peter Bellam

Where Torrens Terrace meets Arlington Street
Across from a store selling quality meat
There’s a park with a garden that will teach you a lot
About plants you can pickle or cook in a pot

Discover where pomegranates grew first
How rivers were tamed to quench a plant’s thirst
The birthplace of foods the world loves to eat
Like olives and lentils, barley and wheat

And the other with this riddle…

Dry wall

By Sian Marsh-Jerebine

In the middle of town is a succulent treat
Adorning a new laneway just off Manners Street
You’re looking for plants that grow even when dry
In-between great coffee and deli-made pie

It’s not on the grass so you’ll have to look high
Lift your eyes from the ground and up to the sky
These plants have been framed so they cannot fall
From a canny construction that’s fixed to the wall

After a break for lunch we headed to the Botanical Gardens, where we followed this lovely riddle…