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Beautiful Christchurch has been known since early last century as the Garden City. Renowned for its spectacular public and private gardens, the city has been rewarded with many international awards including Garden of the World.
A 'must-see' attraction is the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, to be found at just a five minute walk from The Towers on the Park. They encompass an area of 30 hectares alongside the meandering Avon River and hold what is regarded as the finest collection of exotic and indigenous plants to be found anywhere in New Zealand.
The Rose Garden is central in the Botanic Gardens layout, containing more than 250 different roses. The nearby Herb Garden, constructed in 1986, has an extensive range of plants used for culinary and medicinal purposes. The scent arising from both gardens on a warm summer's day is delightful. Be sure to also visit the Heather Garden, Rock Garden, Rhododendron Collection and the Cockayne Garden, which features New Zealand native plants.
Other beautiful parks that should not be missed are Hagley Park across the road from your accommodation, the four leafy inner-city avenues, Victoria Square and the two most notable public gardens of Ilam and Mona Vale. These gardens used to be in private ownership, but are now administered by the city's university and the city council.
At Ilam, the university garden, new strains of azaleas were bred and these are now known throughout the world as Ilam hybrids. Elegant Mona Vale is an historic Victorian homestead surrounded by English style gardens, with charming outbuildings. Both gardens are well worth a visit
while staying at The Towers on the Park.
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