Welcome to our new gardener
Or rather, welcome back! Lucy Williams, just appointed to the role of Gardener – Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush, is returning after spending four months here as an apprentice last summer. Lucy 
has completed a BSc, majoring in Zoology and Ecology, worked in a Nelson retail nursery for two years and began her Amenity Horticulture Apprenticeship with WCC’s Wellington Gardens last year. Her interest in native species stems from the huge diversity of plants she discovered while tramping around the hills of Nelson and Tasman. At Ōtari, she’s looking forward to learning more about our threatened species, being part of projects such as the conservation of rātā moehau (metrosideros bartlettii), and working with the Ōtari team again. ‘It’s awesome to work alongside a group so passionate about caring for native species.’ With Megan Ireland also returning from a six-month secondment to Wellington Botanical Gardens, Ōtari now has a full complement of gardening staff.
Posted: 2 August 2025