Biography

Alexander McGruer (c.1812-1884)

The first Curator of the Dunedin Botanic Garden in its present location

Alexander was born at Elgin in the North of Scotland. Elgin was where he first learnt his trade as a gardener. Alexander left Scotland to look for opportunities in England, where Scottish gardeners were valued. He filled several important positions, including working for Dr Lindley at the Royal Horticultural Society, and Dr Hooker at Kew Gardens.

Alexander emigrated to New Zealand with his wife and family of 7 in 1865 at the age of 53. He became Curator of the Dunedin Botanic Garden after receiving a letter from the Provincial Secretary dated 3rd Jan 1868 advising him of his appointment.

The original Botanic Garden was situated by the Water of the Leith in Dunedin North. There were a number of problems associated with this site, most important of which was its limited size, in conjunction with the ongoing jurisdictional disputes between Town factions and Provincial authorities over its governance. It was recognised by some people that a shift to a new location would solve these difficulties, however it was the extensive damage to the garden resulting from the severe flood of February 3rd 1868 that decided the matter.

Alexander’s tenure as Curator included the final year at the old site and the transition to its present location. He oversaw the development of the new Botanic Garden and dealt with any prospective problems during its formative period from 1869-1876. Although there is little direct account of his personal qualities, the general impression of his curatorship was of a man with a steady and mature nature, respected by his fellow gardeners and conscientious in carrying out his duties.

The time of Alexander’s Curatorship was not without controversy. He had to adjust to the use of prison labour including Maori prisoners. It was prisoners who began work on the new Botanic Garden site in 1869 by clearing scrub, making drains and preparing the ground. When in 1871 the prison gaoler advised that on the grounds of “safety” he had withdrawn the gang from the Botanic Garden, at the same time there appeared to be a suggestion that the Curator had objected to Maori prisoners working in the garden. Archives contain a letter from Alexander McGruer to the gaoler which denies making any objection to the Maori prisoners. His directness is revealed in the remainder of the letter, which is quite brief. “It’s a matter of no consequence to me whether they are Maoris or Europeans. The number of prisoners I want is six and one warder”.

When looking back over the first fifteen years of the new garden site McGruer is recognised as a key person. The basic pattern of the lower garden was established and many of the major trees which exist today were planted by him. To quote from his obituary: “these gardens he formed from a wilderness and their present position testifies to their late Curator’s energy and perseverance”.

Alexander McGruer died on Feb 6 1884 aged 72 years. Sarah his wife died of cancer just 2 months later at the age of 71. They are both buried in the Northern Cemetery not far from the Larnach tomb.

Source: The Story of the Dunedin Botanic Garden by Eric Dunlop