Bason Botanic Gardens, Botanical garden in Whanganui, New Zealand.

Bason Botanic Gardens is a large botanical reserve in Whanganui featuring several themed sections including native bush, a lake, and seasonal flower displays. The property contains specialized conservatories housing diverse exotic plant collections.

The gardens originated when Stanley and Blanche Bason donated their farm to Whanganui City Council in 1966. Development of the botanical reserve began in 1971 with the transformation of the former farmland.

The gardens take their name from Stanley and Blanche Bason, who farmed the land before giving it to the city. The Bason Botanic Gardens Trust, formed in 1982, runs the site with the council, and its board works alongside the Friends of the Bason. The New Zealand Gardens Trust rated it a Garden of Regional Significance in 2004 and a Garden of Significance in 2008.

The gardens lie 8 km northwest of Whanganui on 25 hectares, with Bushy Park Forest Reserve nearby. The six themed areas are spread across open ground, so allow time to walk between the Conifer Arboretum, Lakeside Flats and the conservatories. The site is relatively frost-free, but coastal Manawatū weather changes quickly, so carry a layer.

The conservatories were built from bricks recycled from two demolished Wanganui picture theatres. Landscape architect Tony Jackman, first president of the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects, designed most of the buildings. The conservatories hold tropical plants, begonias and orchids of national importance.