Christchurch City Council are looking to shortlist a team to lead an exciting landscape architecture project at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Expressions of interest (EOI) are welcome from consultant landscape architects from New Zealand and further afield to design and develop a Gondwana Garden and a Children’s Garden within the wider Botanic Gardens, which span 21 hectares in the central city.

The EOI will shortlist up to four suppliers who will then be asked to quote through a request for proposal (RFP) process. 

The selected supplier will work closely with Christchurch City Council staff and stakeholders.

The project

The Gondwana Garden will tell the story of southern hemisphere plants and how they evolved from the time of Earth’s supercontinents to the rich flora of the respective continents today. This is a fascinating story of geological change, and an opportunity to showcase plants, rocks, fossils, tectonic plates, and other aspects of the Gondwana story.

The Children’s Garden will be an inclusive space for children of all abilities to learn through play and explore the natural world and plants. Christchurch City Council envisage a welcoming space for children, their parents, carers, and teachers. It will include an integrated space for the Learning Through Action schools’ programme. Another aspect is the existing paddling and swimming pools, which will both be retained, enhanced, as part of the Children’s Garden.

The Botanic Gardens are an important destination for residents of Ōtautahi Christchurch and for national and international visitors. Christchurch City Council want the new Gondwana Garden and Children’s Garden to be a wonderful and educative experience for visitors and to become a destination within a destination. 

This project reinforces the Christchurch City Council’s commitment to maintaining and developing the gardens. It aims to enrich and enhance the visitor experience, appreciation of plants and their importance to the planet, and understanding of the earth and botanical sciences.

Background

Owned, managed, and operated by Christchurch City Council, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens were established with a single English oak tree in 1863.

Since then, they have evolved to be an oasis in the central city, with diverse and important collections of plants from Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world. Covering 21 hectares the gardens are nationally and internationally renowned and loved by locals and tourists alike.

With new and mature trees and plants, the gardens also provide an important habitat for wildlife, especially birds.

Please see more information on the website.

Brief, application process, and deadlines

Government agencies in New Zealand use the GETS platform for procurement. The full brief for this opportunity can be found on this platform including how to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).  

• Deadline for Prospective Supplier questions and requests for explanatory notices - 4pm, Thursday 4 September 2025
• Deadline for EOI (EOI Closing Date) - 12pm noon, Thursday 11 September 2025

To send your Expression of Interest (EOI) go to the GETS platform and create an account. Then search for the EOI using the reference number: 30075814. 

If you need help with GETS, use the online GETS help service. If, after that, you still need help please contact Neha Manocha at Neha.Manocha@ccc.govt.nz