Flower show back in bloom in Auckland
At last, New Zealand has a proper flower show to call its own again — and it’s in Auckland for the first time in a decade.
Some 70,000 people from around the country are expected to traipse through the the Trusts Stadium in West Auckland this week for the inaugural New Zealand Flower and Garden Show.
More than 100 exhibitors, including several international garden designers, have horticultural and floral art displays at the event.
Highlights include a Bali-inspired haven filled with tropical bromeliads and palm trees, a petunia-filled Pink Ribbon walk and a rambling hobbit’s garden transplanted straight from Matamata’s Hobbiton.
Best in Show was The Beekeeper’s Hobbit Hole, Hobbiton designed by The Hobbit art director Brian Massey.
Even those visitors who can’t tell a cabbage from a calendula will find ideas to jazz up their outdoor space.
Fire pits, floating pathways through reflecting pools and quiet seating spots are common themes, while the Urban Kitchen is filled with fruit and veg as well as big ticket items like a pizza oven for those who want to host outdoors.
Show director Kate Hillier said the 17 gold medals awarded to exhibitors were a testament to the standard of the gardens.
“Some of them are absolutely spectacular, design-wise,” she said.
“Obviously there are highs and there are lows but, because it’s the first year, it’s been quite a challenge for the exhibitors to know what level is expected of them, which is one of the reasons why we have international and national judges.”
Hillier has concerns about a lack of diversity in horticulture in New Zealand, as the big box retailers focus on easy-to-grow, popular plants.
But she hopes the show’s gardens will encourage visitors to demand a wider range from retailers.
“This is one of the reasons why the show is good — I think the message is beginning to get through to those nurseries. Those that are showcasing a decent selection of horticulture will reap the benefits.”
In 2008, the Ellerslie Flower Show moved to Christchurch, but visitor numbers plummeted after the 2011 earthquake and the last show in Christchurch was in 2014.
Hillier pushed hard to bring the show back to Auckland. The city will host for three years but she hopes it will move around the country.
The New Zealand Flower and Garden Show runs from today until Sunday.