The first of its kind in Australasia and constructed in 1907, the Dunedin Botanic Garden Winter Garden is situated on the flat in the picturesque Botanic Garden at the northern end of the town belt which is bound by Great King Street North, Cumberland Street, Ōpoho Road, and Lovelock Avenue. The Winter Garden has architectural, historical and aesthetic significance.

Both iwi history and archaeological evidence show Māori occupation in the Ōtākou / Otago region since the 12th century. Today, Kāi Tahu mana whenua is recognised over a large part of Te Wai Pounamu. Kāti Māmoe and Waitaha whakapapa and shared occupation are always acknowledged. The hapū Kai Te Pahi, Kāti Moki, and Kāti Taoka still maintain their presence and responsibility as kaitiaki in this region. While there were no permanent settlements around the Botanic Garden, place names indicate the area was known to Māori. Ōwheo / Water of Leith was named for a chief Wheo of the Ngāti Mamoe and his kaik located a block south of the confluence of Ōwheo and Puke Hau Kea / Lindsay Creek in the Gardens. The wooded ridge in the Botanic Gardens to the west of Leith Street extending northwards towards Ōpoho was known as Te Mana Kapakapa a Tiki. Dunedin Botanic Garden is New Zealand’s oldest and was established in 1863 by the Otago Provincial Government on land bounded by Castle, Leith, St David and Albany Streets. However February 1868 saw the area devastated by floods which prompted the move to their present site at the northern end of the Town Belt in 1869.

David Tannock, Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens and Reserves, proposed a winter garden be erected in Dunedin in 1906, creating the first winter garden in Australasia. Plans for the work were prepared under Tannock’s instruction by McKenzie and Moncur Ltd., and in March 1907 the City Council passed £318 ($55,628) for construction of the first section with tenders advertised in April. Messrs Henderson & Barclay were awarded the contract costing £297 ($51, 954). In July it was announced that Mr Robert Glendining had agreed to gift the cost of construction to the city. Alterations to the plans may have occurred as Glendining requested the assistance of Messrs Wales (architect), Tannock, Clark (his gardener), and his own contractors, G. Simpson & Co. The completed project cost £3,700 ($689,141). The winter garden was opened by the Mayor on 3rd October 1908. It was vast, comprising three rooms: a span-roof section to the west 50ft x 21ft (15.25 m x 6.4 m) for florals; a tall central square section of 50ft x 40ft x 30ft (15.25 x 12.2 x 9.15 m) for tall tropical plants; and another span roof section to the east for fruiting sub-tropical plants. Plants were propagated, collected from other gardens, and donated by members of the public. A huge success, it was visited daily by hundreds of people aided by Dunedin’s new tram system.

A tender for additions for an orchid house were advertised in June 1912. The 60 x 25 ft (18 x 7 m) building was to be divided into tropical and cool sections. In 1918 two glasshouses 30ft x 20ft (9.15 m x 6.1. m) and 60 x 20 foot (18.3 x 6.1 m) were donated ‘by a friendly citizen’. In 1926 the fernery and freshwater aquarium from the New Zealand & South Seas Exhibition was installed at the rear of the winter garden. The winter garden now comprised nine sections: two greenhouses, a palm house, a tropical house, a water lily house, two orchid houses, a fernery and a succulent house.

Various alterations and additions were made over the decades which were removed over time. The winter garden deteriorated badly after the 1970s. Parks and Recreation Department recommended the winter garden be restored in 1989 which was approved by city architect Robert Tongue to a cost of $559,600 ($1,101,217). This project took a year and was completed in November 1991 and was officially opened on 29 February 1992 and restored to the winter garden approximately its original design. The winter garden building and plants were extensively refurbished again during 2018, to the cost of $591,000. This helped the garden retain its 6-star status with New Zealand Gardens Trust which was renewed in 2021.