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Begonia House

Wellington Botanic Gardens, Glenmore Street, Wellington

 

The stunning Begonia House in Wellington's Botanic Garden contains a wide range of flowers and plants and of course many types of Begonias.

Tuberous Begonias, both pot and basket types, with their spectacular large colourful flowers, play the starring role, and dominate the displays during the summer months. But the Orchids, Bromeliads, Cyclaner, Prmula, Impatiens and various bulbs add their own beauty to the garden.

The main house was built in 1961 with funding provided by prominent Wellington family - The Norwoods. In 1956 Lady Norwood Rose Garden was named in honour of Lady Norwood by Wellington City Council to show their appreciation for all the services that she and her husband rendered to the city.

While the adjacent cafe was added in 1980 and the tropical lily pond in 1989. Renovations of the Begonia House were completed in 1990.

The house is made up of two separate areas one for tropical plants and one containing temperate plants. The temperate section which is heated to a minimum of 15 degrees, contains seasonal displays of potted flowering and foliage plants. The foyer of the temperate house has long been a popular wedding venue. Meanwhile the tropical section's minimum temperature is set at 20 degrees, and most of the plants in this section are permanently planted.

 

It contains Bromeliads - members of the Pineapple family, Aroids - members of the Arum Lily family and Orchids.

The adjacent Tropical Waterlily Pond opened in 1989, houses many aquatic water plants including the giant Amazon waterlily species Victoria Amazonica and Victoria Cruziana. The pond is heated to between 23 degrees and 27 degrees celsius depending on time of year, and is stocked with plenty of tropical fish, to keep algae down.

 

 
 

 

 
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