Relative to other North Island towns and cities the Wellington region does not have a large number of Phoenix palms, making this row of eight one of the more impressive ‘avenues’ in the region.
The palms line the entrance way to the main block of the Hutt Valley Hospital which was completed in 1945 (MacKenzie, 1983). The palms are very uniform in height and are in excellent health, obviously being well maintained by the Hospital grounds staff.
An aerial photograph taken by Whites Aviation in November 1951 shows the young palms the drive just five years after they were planted on Arbor Day, August 14, 1946. As reported in the local newspaper at the time, those undertaking the planting along with other trees in the hospital grounds were Mr. Toogood, chairman of the Board; Mr. J. W. Andrews, Mayor of Lower Hutt; Miss N. M. Knight, acting-Matron-in-Chief, Wellington Hospital; Dr. J. Cairney, Superintendent-in-Chief. Wellington Hospital; Dr. W. G. Fogg, medical superintendent Hutt Hospital; Mesdames Knox, Gilmer and Blake, Messrs. W. Toomath and W. J. Gaudin, members of the Wellington Hospital Board; Nurses Paton and Robertson, representing the junior trainees; Mr. E. Hay, representing the City Council; and Mr. E. Hutt, superintendent of reserves (Lloyd, M. 2023).

References
[1] Craig MacKenzie, 1983, Hospital in the Valley: The story of the Hutt Hospital. Palmerston North: Dunmore Press.

[2] Photo credit: Lower Hutt, showing hospital in centre, Wellington. White’s Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-29771-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23259395

[3] Planting of Trees, Arbor Day at Hospital. Hutt News, Volume 20, Issue 11, 14 August 1946, Page 7. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HN19460814.2.26