Botanic Garden Opens the Mediterranean Garden

Dunedin (Sunday, 12 December 2010) - The Dunedin Botanic Garden’s new Mediterranean Garden is now open to the public.

Planned since 1996 as part of Dunedin Botanic Garden’s 20-Year Development Plan, the Garden is sited on the sunny slope above the lower Botanic Garden and displays plants native to the coastline and islands of the Mediterranean Sea, including artichokes, hellebores, iris, lavender and rosemary.

The site was previously a steep, terraced lawn between the lower Garden and the hilltop plant collections. It is now a destination in itself, providing a link between the upper and lower Gardens that will encourage visitors to explore further.

The Garden was designed by local landscape architect, Mick Field. It is inspired by the Italianate garden, a symmetrical, balanced style developed by early Romans that still influences European landscape design. Facing northwest, a terrace with a fountain provides seating and a view of distant hills and trees and flat paths cut across the hill in effect provide raised plant beds.

Rock walls are a defining feature of the garden, linking to the rocky coastal Mediterranean. Each flat-sided rock was selected at the Mount Kettle quarry so it would slot in easily. Almost all of the gardening staff helped with the construction of the wall, tutored in dry stone walling by Alan Ferguson, Otago Polytechnic horticulture tutor.

Once the walls were completed, the garden beds were built. All compost was produced on site at the Botanic Garden and contains 10 years worth of grass clippings and autumn leaves. Garden staff are delighted with the growth and vigour of the plants.

The total cost of the project was a little over $340,000. The development of this Garden was made possible through the generous support of Nancye Sime, Richard and Barbara Calvert, Otago Community Trust and the Friends of Dunedin Botanic Garden.

Some facts

• 80 tonnes of rocks in the walls
• 20 tonnes of rock for bush paths
• 3500 plants
• 7 loads of gravel mulch
• 77 tonnes of 40mm lime stone chip
• Work started on site August 2009
• 40 tonnes of Milners pit gravel for paths

ENDS

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