Three sculpture finalists

Bason Botanic Gardens Photo/File

Three "radically different" designs have been chosen as finalists in a sculpture competition being run by the Bason Botanic Gardens Trust.

And the public could have a say in deciding which design will end up gracing the botanic gardens.

The winning sculpture will be built on a triangular lawn at the bottom of the gardens' Millennium Hill and could be up to 10 metres high, according to Clive Higgie from the trust.

Mr Higgie said around 30 entries had been received for the competition. Those had been whittled down to two designs from Wanganui artists - Elinor McDouall and Wi Taepa - and one from Queensland-based artists Paul Johnson and Gail Mason.

"Whichever one is chosen, it will be a striking piece of art. The really interesting thing is that all the designs are radically different from each other," Mr Higgie said.

He said the artists would each make a scale model of their design and those would be put on display - probably at the i-Site - for the public to have their say.

A panel of artists and members of the trust would also be involved in the decision-making process.

The trust had received a $70,000 bequest, which made the sculpture competition possible.

Mr Higgie said the sculpture was just one of a number of developments happening at the Bason Botanic Gardens over the summer.