Otari Native Botanic Garden - Wiltons Bush

Otari-Wilton's Bush is the only botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated solely to native plants. If Karori Sanctuary is the dream, this long established reserve is the reality. Wilton's Bush is the only substantial piece of virgin native bush left in Wellington City. The Otari Native Plant museum owes its existence to New Zealand's greatest botanist Leonard Cockayne. There are well interpreted displays and a self-guided nature trail taking 30 - 60 minutes as well as longer walks. You can also picnic with the family and run about.

**History
**Otari-Wilton’s Bush, an area of virgin conifer broadleaf forest in suburban Wellington, was used for hunting by Maori. The name Otari means ‘place of the snares’, as the area was known for its bird life.

Joe Wilton, an early European landowner, preserved and fenced it off, at the time when most of the forest in the area was being cleared for timber and burnt off for farmland. The rest of the forest was protected in 1900. In 1926 New Zealand most famous botanist, Leonard Cockayne and J G McKenzie established the Otari Open Air Native Plant Museum.

The goal of the museum was to conserve native vegetation, teach people about native plants and advocate their use in horticulture.

**What to do there:
**There are two main parts to Otari-Wilton’s Bush: the native plant collection and the forest. The five hectares of plant collections contain approximately 1200 species, native, hybrid and cultivars of New Zealand plants. They are from all parts of the country, including the offshore islands. All of the plants are labelled and details of each have been documented and stored in a database. Wander around and test your knowledge of New Zealand plants.

You may find it interesting to have a look at the variation in the different plant groups. For example Hebe is one of New Zealand’s largest genera. Can you work out what makes a Hebe a Hebe? (Clue: have a look at the leaf buds). Have a look at all the variation within Hebe from the shrubby garden varieties to the alpine whipcord Hebe. In the Alpine Garden observe the shape and structure of the plants. Think about the alpine environment. These plants have evolved in ways that enable them to survive in such a harsh environment.

Take a look at the Divaricate Garden. New Zealand has a high proportion of plants that branch sharply away from their main stem (divaricating species) and no one really knows why. One suggestion is that being a divaricate protected the plant from browsing by the now extinct moa. Thorns and prickles didn’t work against these big birds, which had hard beaks, so instead, perhaps, the plants evolved this growth habit.

The natural forest areas of Otari-Wilton’s Bush offer numerous walks to suit all abilities and time constraints. Pick up a leaflet from the information centre.

If you follow the blue trail you can find an 800 year old Rimu tree.

**The Nature Trail
**One walk which may be of interest is the Nature Trail. This is a superbly thought-out trail highlighting many interesting and unique features of New Zealand’s native bush. The Nature Trail takes you over the Canopy Walkway but, even if you choose not to do the full trail, make sure you take the walkway and experience life in the canopy of the forest. Look at the leaves of the trees up there and compare them to the leaves of the same species you find in the understorey. The leaves are adapted for the differing light environments.

**How to get there
**Otari is on a bus route 14 at 30 min intervals from the Lambton Interchange. (Route 14 runs from Kilbirnie to Wilton via Roseneath. Oriental Bay and Thorndon.) Put Otari-Wiltons Bush as your destination in the Greater Wellington Travel Planner.

If you are travelling by car the route is fairly well signposted and there is car parking available. The main car park and visitors’ centre are on Wilton Rd.

**What to bring
**There is no café so bring food and drink (the visitors’ centre does have a vending machine and drinking water is available). There are coin-operated gas barbeques at the Troup picnic area so sausages are an option! None of the main trails require tramping boots but you will be more comfortable in sturdy footwear especially if you want to explore off the main trails. As always in the New Zealand bush, bring warm clothes and rain gear.

OTARI ECO TREK HALF DAY TOUR