25 August 2005

With a unique line-up characterised by world-class design, international flavour, fine cuisine and exclusive entertainment, Ellerslie Flower Show 2005 has set the stage for a show Like Never Before.

The spectacular programme of events for the highly anticipated 2005 Show was unveiled today at a celebratory launch at Eden Gardens in Auckland.

Over the next three months, the Auckland Botanic Gardens will be transformed from a wide open space into an extravaganza of colour and design with an abundance of plants and flowers, culminating in the Southern Hemisphere’s largest garden Show from 16–20 November.

Essential highlights of the Ellerslie Flower Show 2005 will include such visual and sensory delights as Xanthe White’s Pacific Retail Finance Marquee, the Hort Galore Marquee, the Twinings Floral Art Marquee and the wildly diverse Sunday magazine Exhibition Gardens.

Peter Cox, Ellerslie Flower Show General Manager says the show is regarded as one of the world’s greatest flower shows, growing in popularity on the international stage with visitors from all over the world. “This iconic event serves as a focal point for the horticultural, floral, landscape design and construction businesses to unite and promote the very best they have to offer to markets across overseas and within New Zealand,” he says.

This year, the organisers have introduced a whole new concept for 2005, in the Hort Galore marquee, a vibrant hub showcasing the best in horticulture. With inspirational combinations of lavish foliage and design, Hort Galore participants will be getting creative and showing off their talents. If keen gardeners want to see the latest, most impressive and most exotic of new plants from nurseries around New Zealand, Hort Galore is not to be missed.

Ellerslie Flower Show darling Xanthe White, now making her name on the world garden design stage, is hugely excited about her role with the Show as designer of the Pacific Retail Finance Marquee.              

Xanthe’s design for the extravagant Pacific Retail Finance Marquee, entitled The Kiwi Garden – From Cultivation to Inspiration, is going to be a show stopper, using twenty thousand plants and flowers and more than a thousand different varieties – including one of the world’s rarest plants.

“The Marquee is a massive design challenge, with ten gardens depicting different time zones from pre-Maori New Zealand, to colonial times to today’s design-focused gardens,” she says.

“I chose the name to represent how New Zealanders’ relationships with gardening have developed as their lifestyles have changed over the years,” says Xanthe. Her talented team of 12 exclusively selected artists and sculptors will take visitors on an intriguing journey of the evolution of the Kiwi garden. “I want the exhibit to inspire a love of gardening in people and a pride in themselves as New Zealand gardeners.” 

The Twinings Floral Art Marquee is also not to be missed, with a Contemporary Weddings theme that showcases innovative design, exciting colour combinations and unique plant materials such as rare scented orchids from Singapore.

“The Twinings Marquee will be a combination of thousands of flowers, stunning structural design and floral influences from Singapore, Europe, Japan and Fiji,” says Nancy Murphy, Chairperson for Auckland Floral Art Council. “It aims to develop the grassroots element of floral artistry in New Zealand,“ she says. “We will feature all the great structural design materials New Zealand offers to present a virtual floral wedding!”

If you like the idea of munching while you view, check out the Foodtown and Woolworths Marquee, an exhibit designed to celebrate fresh fruits and vegetables and the edible garden. Inside this marquee will be stunning feature displays and new product releases to taste and sample. A visit to this marquee is guaranteed to be a treat for all the senses!

Inspired gardeners will showcase their work to the public at the Sunday magazine Exhibition Gardens. With everything from children’s garden parties to edible gardens, low allergy, low vision and sensory gardens, the Exhibition Gardens are a must-see spot to mark on your Show map! The NZ Gardener Speaker Series will feature a programme of experts with international floral art guru Richard Go from Australia taking centre stage.

Mayor of Manukau City, Sir Barry Curtis, says the Show provides fantastic benefits to the Manukau region. “As well as being a superb event for garden lovers, it also brings $12 million into the Manukau economy each year and the Council is delighted to support it in every way possible.”

Exhibitors looking for more than the glory of participating in the Show will be vying for one of the Show’s prestigious design awards aimed at recognising the art of excellent and modern garden making, ornamental horticulture, or floristry.

The Ellerslie Flower Show 2005 promises to be Like Never Before, with innovation, inspiration and floral delights to warm even the coldest gardening heart! The Show will spring into bloom from 16–20 November. Tickets can be purchased at any Ticketek outlet, by contacting 09 307 5000 (or your local Ticketek number) or via the website www.ticketek.co.nz