The Sound Shell

The Botanic Garden Sound Shell is a raised stage structure that sits inside the natural amphitheatre of the Sound Shell lawn. It has hosted many musical acts and events over the years, from the Garden fete of 1910, through to Summer City, open air dances on the lawn, holiday celebrations, and Wellington Gardens Magic. It can be found just inside the Founders Entrance to the Botanic Gardens at Glenmore Street.

The Sound Shell lawn was originally opened in 1887 as a Teaching Garden. The garden was designed by Dr. Hector of the New Zealand Institute to show immigrants which plants could be successfully grown in Aotearoa, and highlight useful features of the native vegetation.

When the Council took over management of the gardens in 1891 it became the “Enclosed Garden”, featuring new, seasonal formal bedding, which still incorporated native plants and trees established by Dr. Hector. Some of the trees from the old Teaching Garden stayed for many years. One old lancewood, its wounds loaded with concrete, finally fell on the Sound Shell lawn during the Wahine Storm in 1968.

Live music has been played in the Botanic Gardens since at least the early 1900s. The Council approved an application from the Wellington Garrison band to perform in the gardens in 1904-1905, and it must have been quite the success. (Wellington City Council Archives, 00233-1894/471). Soon after, band performances became a regular Sunday event, and correspondence indicates that by 1906 the grounds and walkways were becoming “uncomfortably crowded” by attendees during this time (Wellington City Council Archives, 00001-6/637 Part 1).

The proposed solution was the erection of a Band Rotunda on the site. An octagonal, wooden Band rotunda was built around 1911 to facilitate this need. By this time, the Enclosed Garden had become planted with roses, and renamed the Rosary. There is no direct record of roses being planted at any one time, only a gradual, increasing dominance of roses until the Garden was ready for another name change. The Band Rotunda stayed in use until 1953, when it was replaced by the Sound Shell as we know it today, while the Rosary collection was moved to the Lady Norwood Rose Garden.

The Sound Shell was designed by R. A. E. Osten and S. E. Gurney. Issues with the tendering process resulted in financial challenges for construction, and in the end, the shell was built by carpenters employed on a cooperative basis. The Sound Shell opened 5 December 1953, to some controversy.

The Sound Shell had been proposed by the Wellington Bands Association as a memorial to bandsmen who had died during the World Wars. They were involved throughout the process, having also proposed the initial design and assisted in financing the construction.

The Wellington Band Association hoped to participate in the opening and to unveil a memorial plaque, however, there was a sentiment among the bandsmen that they were not invited with sufficient notice. Consequently, there was little time to prepare an appropriate programme of music, and many bands were already booked, leaving them unable to play at the opening of their memorial Sound Shell. The dispute was headline news, though the opening was still well-attended.