Plants installed by the Government in Christchurch park dying

  • 17/05/2018
Plant experts say  many of the plants at Rauora Park are dying.
Plant experts say many of the plants at Rauora Park are dying. Photo credit: Christchurch City Council

New plants installed by the Government at a central Christchurch park are dying and will have to be replaced.

Around $30 million of taxpayer money was poured into funding Rauora Park, where 14,000 plants including 312 trees were planted.

Plant experts say the work down by crown rebuild company Ōtākaro was poorly done, while the company says some deaths were inevitable, Stuff reports. 

Landscape architect Di Lucas told Stuff some plants were not suited to their location and there was no irrigation, which led to the deaths.

"There was some really good initial design and then sadly the execution was dumbed down through Government processes. Some of it has been unbelievably stupid." 

An Ōtākaro spokesman said the planting season had begun and contractors would start replacing the dead plants.

Newshub.