A significant milestone for one of Dunedin's grandest old dames will be celebrated with a garden party.
The Dunedin Botanic Garden will turn 150 on Sunday.
Established in 1863, the garden is New Zealand's first botanic garden.
It was first established on a 3.6ha site now occupied by the University of Otago, but after the garden was destroyed by flooding in 1868 it was transferred - including many of the original trees and shrubs -
to the present site.
Celebrations to mark the occasion of its establishment will take place on Sunday, with speeches from 11am at the garden information centre.
The celebrations are open to the public and the speeches will be followed by a walk through the Clive Lister Garden to the royal oak, planted in 1863 to mark the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the first public occasion marking the establishment of the garden, and then to the entrance gates.
During the festivities, new entrance gates will be opened and Mayor Dave Cull will unveil the winning design for a sculpture to mark the anniversary.
The sculpture will be built using money bequeathed to the council and will be located in the Lister Garden.
Council parks and recreation services manager Mick Reece said 16 proposals were submitted.
