Cuningham House at Christchurch’s Botanic Gardens is undergoing a significant transformation as it prepares for a historic $10 million upgrade. The iconic neo-classical glasshouse, located next to the Central Rose Garden, has nearly completed the removal of its tropical plant collection, which will be temporarily relocated to other glasshouses in the gardens.
Wolfgang Bopp, the Botanic Gardens’ director of plants and horticulture, explained that the process, known as “decanting,” involves more than just moving the plants. “This isn’t just about shifting hundreds of potted plants; we are also taking time to enhance the collection for future displays,” he said. “During this period, we will pot and grow plants from the central bed in other houses.”
Bopp noted that the plants in the central bed, which have formed a unique ecosystem over time, will be carefully relocated. While the exact number of plants is hard to estimate—potentially reaching up to 3,000—each plant is carefully accounted for during the process.
Among the plants that will remain in Cuningham House are two miniature date palms (Phoenix roebelenii). These palms, likely the same ones pictured in a photo taken around the time the glasshouse first opened 100 years ago, will be preserved with protective scaffolding and covered in protective film.
An 8-10 meter tall nikau palm, a slow-growing native, will also stay in place. Staff estimate the palm to be between 30 and 40 years old, though the warm, moist conditions inside the glasshouse have allowed it to grow much larger than if it had been kept outdoors.
Bopp also mentioned that for plants like banana plants, which are easy to propagate, staff have already begun potting up new shoots to ensure that mature plants will be available for replanting once the restoration is complete. Some large potted plants have already been moved to the Townend House, and some of the plants will be shared with other botanic gardens across Aotearoa.
“We’ve been working closely with other gardens, and a staff member from Wellington Botanic Gardens recently visited us to take some plants back to their collection,” Bopp said. “Sharing plants helps ensure the survival of rare or unusual species in case anything happens to the original plants.”
The restoration of Cuningham House is expected to take 18 to 24 months, with a budget of around $10 million. During this time, the glasshouse will remain closed to the public.
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