Located in Alexandra Park, approximately 4 kilometres from Harare’s bustling city centre, the National Botanic Garden spans nearly 7 square kilometres. Initially set up as a recreational area in 1902, it was later reclassified as the National Botanic Gardens under Hiram Wild's leadership around 1962. Half of its expansive grounds are dedicated to Zimbabwean indigenous plants, encompassing over 750 species native to the country’s woodlands. The garden also houses a diverse collection of African flora, along with exotic plants from South America, India, Australia, and other parts of Asia. It boasts an impressive representation of nearly all ecological habitats found in Zimbabwe.

The National Herbarium of Zimbabwe is housed within these gardens. Originally situated in an old building, it was relocated to a newly constructed facility around 1967. The first curator appointed by Wild was Tom Muller from Switzerland, who began his role in either 1961 or 1962. By the time the herbarium moved to its new premises, Bob Drummond had taken over leadership as Wild had transitioned to academia.