The festival diary. Ten days of gardens across Labour Weekend, a Bloom Garden Party, walks, talks and workshops, with more coming.
The diary
Tickets on sale 1 August
October 2026
Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre
The festival opens with an official ceremony and the Botanic Art Exhibition. The Hub is our home base for the season.
OpeningPrivate & public gardens across Ōtepoti Dunedin
Garden tours are the heart of the festival, running right across the ten days. Each garden sets its own days and hours, and your ticket carries the times.See the open gardens →
TicketedFashion · Food · Fun
A glamour garden social event with catered drinks and nibbles to launch the open-gardens weekend in style.
TicketedA Friends of the Botanic Garden event
A garden fete at the carpark next to the Dell, guided Rhododendron Dell tours, and the annual plant sale.
Talks, workshops & guided garden tours
A week of guided botanic and private-garden tours, talks and hands-in-the-soil workshops. Full line-up below.
TicketedBotanic Gardens
A free day of children's entertainment, stalls and garden activities.
Free entryDuring the week
Guided tours, talks and workshops from the people who grow and make here. Presenters share their craft, and every ticket supports the festival. More sessions being added
Plant choices that love a Dunedin winter, from people who grow here.
Keep heritage varieties alive in your own backyard, season to season.
A guided wander through the Dell at peak bloom with a Botanic Garden guide.
Running a talk, tour or workshop and want it in the programme? Get in touch.
Beyond spring
Bloom Spring is the opening act. Autumn Harvest, Winter Wintergarden and Summer Earth Rhythms follow across the turning year — programmes to come. Season line-ups in development
