Wintergardens
Why go
The Auckland Domain Wintergardens are one of Auckland's loveliest free attractions — a heritage complex of two Victorian-style glasshouses, an ornamental courtyard with a sunken pool and fountains, and a fernery tucked into a former scoria quarry. Designed in the early 1900s by architect William Gummer in the style of England's Lutyens and Jekyll, and officially opened in 1928, the whole site has a different-era feel that's a real pleasure to wander through. The flowers are beautiful, the statues are atmospheric, and the photographic opportunities are excellent. If you're already at the Auckland War Memorial Museum or out for a walk in the Domain, it's a natural stop.
What to expect
Two barrel-vaulted glasshouses sit either side of a paved courtyard — one tropical (heated, full of lush heat-loving plants), one temperate (changing with the seasons). Between them, a long ornamental pool with fountains and pergolas, plus a collection of marble statues donated in the 1920s and 30s by Auckland businessman William Elliot. Beyond the glasshouses, the fernery sits in a sunken scoria quarry filled with native New Zealand ferns. The whole site recently underwent a major $5.62m restoration (2021–2023) and won the 2024 NZ Institute of Architects Heritage Award — and at time of writing, further works are happening around the fernery area, so worth checking what's open before a special trip.
