Garden Marlborough Welcomes International Garden Design Star Jamie Durie As 2025 Keynote Speaker

Garden Marlborough, in partnership with principal sponsor Bayleys Marlborough, is delighted to announce internationally acclaimed designer and television presenter Jamie Durie as the keynote speaker for this year’s festival.

Australian-born Durie is one of the most respected names in garden design and home improvement. With over 30 years of experience, the award-winning designer and horticulturalist leads a multidisciplinary team working across landscape, interiors, architecture, and furniture design. Together, they create innovative, inspiring, and sustainable solutions for outdoor living—spaces designed for relaxation, regeneration, and entertaining in style.

Durie is the author of more than 12 garden design books and has hosted over 50 television shows worldwide. A Gold Medal recipient at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show, he is also a committed environmentalist, working with global organisations focused on conservation. His impressive portfolio spans projects from Australia to the USA, UK, Europe, Asia, and New Zealand, and includes collaborations with brands like McGuire, Pottery Barn, and Kohl’s, as well as bespoke designs for celebrities such as Charlize Theron and Oprah Winfrey.

As part of his visit to Garden Marlborough, Durie will share insights from his latest project featured on the hit television series Growing Home—a remarkable residence designed with 14 private gardens over seven levels, showcasing seamless indoor-outdoor integration.

“I’ve heard wonderful things “I’m incredibly excited to be joining Garden Marlborough in 2025,” says Durie. “I’ve heard fantastic things about the festival—its stunning location, passionate gardening community, and the calibre of talent it attracts. This will be my first time in Marlborough, and I can’t wait to connect with fellow garden lovers and share some of the ideas and design philosophies I’m most passionate about.”

Festival committee member and programme chair Kaara Wight adds:

“We’re thrilled to welcome Jamie Durie to Marlborough as our keynote speaker. His global design expertise and charismatic presence will bring a dynamic new energy to this year’s festival. We can’t wait to welcome visitors from near and far to share in this unique celebration of gardens, design, and creativity.”

Durie will present two engaging talks during the festival:

Friday evening keynote – An Evening with Jamie Durie: A lively and inspiring journey through Durie’s life and global career, with insights on future-proofing gardens for changing climates.

Saturday morning – Transterior with Jamie Durie: Learn how to create seamless indoor-outdoor spaces using Durie’s signature design philosophy, with practical ideas for any scale of garden.

The full Garden Marlborough programme is packed with inspiration. Alongside Durie’s presentations, this year’s lineup features a wide variety of workshops and lectures on topics including naturalistic planting in a New Zealand context, soil health, bonsai, flax weaving, tablescaping, stylish entertaining, gin tasting, and BBQ mastery.

As always, the heart of the festival lies in its renowned garden tours—with beloved favourites returning and exciting new private gardens opening their gates for the very first time.

Experience the beauty of Marlborough at this unforgettable celebration of gardens, creativity, and community.

WHO: For thirty-two years, Garden Marlborough has promoted the pleasures and benefits of gardening to a New Zealand and international audience.

WHERE: Set in the heart of the beautiful Marlborough region, the four-day festival in November sells over 4,000 tickets to a packed schedule of garden tours, educational workshops and social events.

WHEN: This year’s event runs from 6-9 November. Tickets go on sale 21 July via the event website www.gardenmarlborough.co.nz

PRICE: Tickets range from $35-$345

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