Come out to play on Anniversary Day

The holiday festivities will include a garden fair with live music, children’s activities and stalls, as well as a guided walk through the property’s world-renowned plant collection, and a cross-country bike ride from Dawson Falls to Hollards.

“There’s something for everyone and it’s sure to be a fun day for all,” says the Taranaki Regional Council’s Regional Gardens Manager, Greg Rine. “It’s a chance to check out the Family Corner at Hollards, with its recently upgraded playground.”

Details of the day’s events:

• 9.30am – Guided Walk. Meet at the car park gatehouse for a free garden tour where you’ll learn more about Hollard Gardens and the diverse collection of plants built up by its founder, Bernie Hollard.
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• 10am – Kaponga Lions Bike Ride. Meet at the Dawson Falls gates to Egmont National Park for a ride to Hollard Gardens. Routes for all ages and levels, and spot prizes at the finish. Costs $5 a bike or $15 a family. Call Mark Holmes, 06 764 6817 for more information.
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• 11am-2pm – Garden Fair including live music by Mountain Road (Andrew London, Karen Clarke and Wayne Morris), a good range of delicious food with something for everyone’s palate, produce stalls, hand-made arts and crafts, face-painting and storytelling for the kids, harakeke (flax) weaving demonstrations and lessons, and gardening demonstrations where you’ll learn how to make a worm farm. Bring plants or seeds for a swap stall.
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Those wanting a hands-on experience with harakeke should bring a craft knife, straight-edge knife and koha.

The Anniversary Day events are part of a year-round programme at Hollard Gardens, Pukeiti and Tupare, the three heritage properties owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council on behalf of the people of the region. All three are open daily and entry is free. For more information, see www.hollardgardens.info, www.pukeiti.org.nz and www.tupare.info. Social media users can also follow the Regional Gardens on Facebook (TaranakiRegionalGardens)and Twitter (@TaranakiRG).

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