Hagley Park, Christchurch

Hagley Park is the vast green heart of Christchurch, an urban park of more than 160 hectares wrapping around the city's Botanic Gardens on the western edge of the central city. Set aside in 1855 and protected as public open space ever since, it is the largest park in the city and a defining feature of the 'Garden City', threaded by the meandering Avon River.

It is a working parkland. Broad lawns, avenues of mature English oaks and other exotic trees, sports fields, and walking and cycling paths fill the park, which is used year-round for jogging, picnics, cricket, golf and major events. In spring, drifts of daffodils bloom beneath the trees, and the surrounding river is edged with willows.

The Botanic Gardens sit at its core. Enclosed within a loop of the Avon, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens hold heritage glasshouses, rose gardens and specimen trees, and the park's paths connect easily to the Canterbury Museum and the cultural precinct at its edge. Punts drift along the Avon, offering a gentle way to see the parkland from the water.

Practical notes: Hagley Park borders the central city and is a short walk from the Cathedral Square area, with flat, largely step-free paths that make it easy to explore on foot or by bike. It is free and open at all hours, though the interior is best enjoyed by day. Spring, from September to November, brings the fullest blossom and bulb displays, while autumn colours the oaks. Combine a stroll through the park and gardens with a punt on the Avon and a visit to the neighbouring museum. The park hosts major events through the year, from summer festival stages to markets and sporting fixtures, and its network of paths makes it a favourite for cyclists linking the city centre to the western suburbs through an almost unbroken canopy of mature trees.