The Pergola, across the road from the main carpark, marks the entry both to the conservatories and the Homestead Garden. Walking through the pergola you will see, on your right, a steel delphinium sculpture in the centre of a circular Iris bed that gives a most spectacular display in spring.

The Pergola beds feature seasonal annuals giving way to subtropical plantings around the conservatories. To the right of the pergola, you will also see a Jubaea chilensis (Chilean CoconutPalm), which is renowned for having the largest diameter palm trunk. This specimen was planted in 2005. The subtropical beds feature Alpinia (shell ginger) Beacarnea (Ponytail Palms), Strelizia (Birds of Paradise), and Dracaena draco (Canary Island Dragon Tree). An avenue of Phoenix canariensis (False Date Palms) lead you on to the Homestead Gardens.

The Conservatory Complex includes the Blanche Bason Glasshouse, Larson Orchid House and heated Tropical House, along with the information displays in the Scoullar Room, and toilets. The brick Conservatory Complex reflects the Bason heritage of brick making and Stanley’s requested tribute to his wife Blanche. The conservatories were designed by landscape architect Tony Jackman and built in 1980. They feature bricks from two demolished Whanganui picture theatres. The same bricks are used elsewhere in paths, raised beds and BBQs providing a unique heritage attraction to the Gardens. 

As the name implies, the first of the glasshouses was built as a memorial to Stanley’s wife, Blanche. As the Blanche Bason Glasshouse is unheated it has a changing display of exotic seasonal plants including African violets, Begonia and ferns. A feature of the Blanche house is a waterfall and pool made from stone source from the Rangitikei River. The rocks here create an intermediate pool flowing into a fishpond at the centre. The deep sonorous sound of the water cascading is restful and the humidity created is great for exotic plants. 

The Larson Orchid House was built thanks to a bequest from Winston and Agnes Larsen and contains a range of orchid collections, many gifted to the Gardens over the years including Tudor Orchids from Kem Elms and the estate of Margaret Spittal. The major collections exhibited are of Phalaenopsis (moth orchids), Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Pleione, Paphiopedilum (slipper orchids), Oncidium, Masdevallia and Sarcochilus.

The Tropical House is the only heated glasshouse in the complex and as a result is often locked to help control its temperature and protect the sensitive plants within. It is also used as a nursery to take care of plants that are brought out to the other display houses when temperature allows.

return to map