Police are investigating the theft, which Senior Sergeant Brian Benn, of Dunedin, condemned as ''despicable''.
Mr Box said he was delighted Clare Brown, co-owner of Blueskin Nurseries and Cafe, had offered to replace some of the stolen plants.
''This has just made my Christmas'' and showed the spirit of Christmas was still alive, he said this week.
Since the report in the Otago Daily Times on Monday, Mr Box had received supportive phone calls from several concerned people, including Kath Munro, the first chairwoman of the Port Chalmers Community Board.
Mrs Munro said the plant replacement offer showed ''wonderful community spirit'' and she hoped whoever had stolen the plants had been ''troubled'' by their conscience.
Several of the first 10 rhododendrons planted at the dell in 1990, after a grant from the board, were also stolen at that stage.
The Port Chalmers and District Lions Club and Mr Box, the club's dell project convener, had since done a great job in developing and continuing the dell project, Mrs Munro said.
The dell is named in honour of the late Constance Lady Thorn, who, with her late husband, Sir John, the long-serving former Port Chalmers mayor, had worked tirelessly for the community.
