Christchurch Hospital and flowers
Christchurch Hospital, at 2 Riccarton Avenue beside Hagley Park, opened on 1 June 1862 after "Hands off Hagley" protests by citizens. Today it is Canterbury's main public hospital. If you were planning to send a bouquet to a patient here, please read this first: flowers are not permitted in any part of the hospital.
Order by 2 pm on weekdays (11 am Saturdays) for same-day delivery in many areas
- No flowers on the wards: send them home instead
- Name and ward on the card
- Local florists deliver the flowers
Flowers are not permitted anywhere in Christchurch Hospital. Gift shops sell flower vouchers so flowers can be delivered when the patient goes home.
“Unfortunately flowers are not permitted in the wards or other areas of Christchurch Hospital or Christchurch Women's Hospital.”
A hospital-wide ban
Health NZ's page is clear: "Unfortunately flowers are not permitted in the wards or other areas of Christchurch Hospital or Christchurch Women's Hospital." This applies to every ward, so a florist delivery addressed to a patient will not reach the bedside.
An older Canterbury DHB page from 2022 listed only certain wards and added that flowers could not be delivered to staff during work. That page has been replaced by the current blanket rule, so treat the hospital-wide ban as the one that applies.
Flower vouchers for when they go home
The hospital suggests a thoughtful workaround: "Hospital gift shops sell flower vouchers for flowers to be delivered when the person goes home. Other gifts are also available instead of flowers." The volunteers' gift shop in the main foyer (Parkside) has gifts, cards, confectionery, snacks and domestic post, and gifts for patients can be ordered online.
You can also simply order flowers to the patient's home address for the day after discharge. Our Christchurch flower delivery page covers the city.
When to visit
- Visiting hours are 11am to 1pm and 3pm to 8pm every day.
- In the children's wards, parents, caregivers and whānau including siblings can visit anytime.
- The hospital phone number is 03 364 0640.
Other Christchurch hospitals
Christchurch Women's Hospital on the same campus has the same ban. Burwood Hospital allows flowers in most areas, with some units excluded.
The hospital in brief
Christchurch Hospital sits on the edge of Hagley Park and is described as the largest tertiary hospital in the South Island. Wikipedia lists 836 beds, and says it is the major trauma centre for northern and central Canterbury. The Waipapa building, opened in 2020, is the newest part of the campus.
Health NZ lists children's wards A7 (medical) and B7 (surgical), an intensive care unit and an emergency department among many services.
Parking, drop-off and buses
- The emergency department has a drop-off area directly outside its entrance.
- Premium metered parking is on site, with the first 30 minutes free.
- A free shuttle runs from the Deans Avenue car park (the 463-space Tū Waka-Waipapa building).
- Mobility spaces: 17 at the front, 5 at the rear outpatients, 3 near main outpatients and 9 near the Boatshed Café.
- Bus routes 3, 5, 7, 8, 60, 80, 81, 84 to 86, 91 and 92 serve the hospital.
There are five cafés on site. General enquiries are on 03 364 0640 and patient enquiries on 03 364 0600.
Address for the order
- 2 Riccarton Avenue, Christchurch, 8011
- Christchurch
- Phone 03 364 0640
Write the patient’s full name and ward on the card and the order. Rules checked 6 November 2026; hospitals change their rules, so call the ward if you are unsure.
Flowers to welcome them home
Delivered to the home address instead of the hospital.
Order by 2 pm on weekdays (11 am Saturdays) for same-day delivery in many areas
