25 February 2013

Botanic Gardens Mark 150th
With Giant Floral Cake

Winning the Zealandia National Flower Bed Competition at the Ellerslie International Flower Show would be the icing on the cake for the team from Christchurch’s Botanic Gardens.

With the gardens celebrating their 150th anniversary staff have decided their entry in the Zealandia National Flower Bed Competition this year will be a giant floral birthday cake, complete with a candle on the top.

The three tier ‘cake’ will stand three-metres tall and will feature hundreds of colourful bedding plants.

Christchurch City Council Team Leader, Garden and Heritage Parks, Jeremy Hawker says a team of up to half a dozen staff from the Botanic Gardens will be responsible for whipping up the ‘cake’, which has been about a year in the planning.

He says while it would be nice to notch up another win in the competition – Christchurch won the first National Flower Bed Competition held at the last Auckland Show in 2007, and won again in 2009 at the first Show in Christchurch and again last year - staff are just looking forward to taking part.

“We just like competing. It’s the camaraderie of Ellerslie that we all enjoy,’’ Mr Hawker says.
Each display in the Zealandia National Flower Competition must be made up of at least 80 per cent of bedding plants and the entries must reflect the region each team represents.
Christchurch’s Botanic Gardens team will be competing against four other teams from across the country.

The Ashburton District Council’s entry picks up on the district’s role as a leading centre for harness racing and is aptly called Harness Jewels.

Auckland’s entry reflects its position as the City of Sails. Its garden will feature a small sailing dinghy cutting through the sparking water of the Waitemata Harbour.

Otorohanga is pinning its hopes on the Buzzy Bee. It has successfully branded itself as New Zealand’s official Kiwiana Town and has chosen the classic children’s toy as the theme for its garden.

Christchurch’s second entry in the competition is being put together by Keep Christchurch Beautiful. ‘From Darkness There Shall Be Light’ will celebrate the rebuild of Christchurch.

Pedro Wylaars, National General Manager of Zealandia says they are excited to see how the different teams tackle the competition.

“What we’re hoping to see is really bold use of colours and lots of creative flair,’’ says Mr Wylaars. “We’re hoping the teams will really capture the essence of the regions they represent with their designs.’’

Caption: Christchurch’s Botanic Garden’s 2012 winning entry in the Zealandia National Flower Bed competition.

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• Ellerslie International Flower Show will be held in North Hagley Park from 6 – 10 March 2013.

• Tickets for Ellerslie International Flower Show, at a pre-gate price of $35 for Adult Anyday passes, are available from the website www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz, all open Christchurch City Council Service Centres, Mitre 10 Mega Stores in Christchurch, Ashburton and Timaru, Terra Viva, EziBuy Christchurch and Nichols Garden Centres.

ENDS

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