Queen's Park, which encompasses the botanical gardens, is the main green space in Timaru and a pleasant place to spend an hour. The formal rose gardens are the centrepiece, well-maintained and laid out in the Victorian tradition; they are at their best in mid-summer, from December through January. There are also native plantings, large specimen trees, and lawns suitable for a picnic.
The park includes a small zoo with native New Zealand wildlife — tuatara, kiwi (nocturnal enclosure), and a range of birds — which is more interesting than it sounds and free to visit. There is also a children's playground and a café. The park sits on a slight rise above the town centre and is a short walk from the main street. It is a low-key attraction but a genuinely pleasant one, particularly if you are travelling with children or need a break from driving.