Just come back from the NZ Flower and Garden show - mum and I walked up (after offering to pay for her ticket, she wasn't keen when she learned how much it cost) but have to say it's worth seeing and everyone is putting on a good show. Sorry no photos..actually I don't have a camera smartphone (um...work are you going to pay for one?) so will have to paint a picture with a thousand words.
Buffie took two Golds and a Bronze, with her Community garden display and also runner up in the upcycle garden contest, where she exhibited 'Funk my Junk' which included plants growing in shoes, sewing machines and out dresser drawers. Our Woodside Garden display was a delight and just how we envisioned it with Ben's fruit trees behind and strawberries with herbs and flowers in front, the breast cancer pink tables and chairs, and our children's gardening tools scattered about. Actually we don't have breast cancer pink tables and chairs at the real community garden, but, now we can put them there - since at the moment we just sit on planks of wood. Triangle Community Garden were right next door with a display of tools and worm farm, and the other side of us Ranui Community Garden with tomatoes in buckets and mulched veges galore.
West Lynn Gardens had a stand, as did Brent Mags from MBGP (My Backyard Garden Project) which is now going national, Heritage Roses had a traditional English style rose garden complete with climbing rose over arch and purple salvias. And then local garden clubs teamed together for a rustic courtyard display. So all in all the Yates Community Garden Marquee was buzzing.
Of the big displays the showcase garden was the Hobbit's garden. I didn't see any hobbits however but it was very cute. This hobbit's garden had lots of flowers and nasturtiums growing over their roof. I had to explain to mum what hobbits were, like little people with big hairy feet who live in hobbit holes in the ground.
Others that stood out - In upcycle section, a retro kitchen garden that looked out of the 50s with formica tables and chairs, in the school section a weed garden - which teaches how weeds can be beneficial. The floral tent had floral arrangements that were striking, and many florists plying their trade.
There was a pink bedding display for breast cancer awareness, and I reckon if the flower show comes back here next year Bark could do a spectacular flower bed display. We could put in a roundabout bed right in the middle and direct garden show traffic. Waitakere Gardens where were you? I saw mobility scooters for hire right at the entrance.
Apart from garden displays there were many exhibits from retailers, I trialled an e-bike which you plug in and charge, then turn on so you can go up the hills. Only $1500. Had to restrain mum from buying $180 kitchen knives but compromised on $50 rubber brooms. Will have to keep reminding mum to pay me back since she got the show deal of buy one and get one free plus a two extra brushes for $10. We walked back home with our brooms and mum was very happy because she's a clean freak and started on the carpets and kitchen lino right away. Because I have a broom too, I can now brush and squeegee my car, and even sweep the terrace and garden paths.
Some ideas for next year...if they do have it again, I would go for more flowers..like big masses of carpet bedding, more colour parterres, patterns and designs, because that's what I would go to see. I'm not that keen on the $27,000 watershed that just looks like an ol' shed on the back of a farm, or the latest designer outdoor showcase furniture nobody can really afford. I would go for sprinklers fountains and water gardens, shepherds huts and gypsy caravans, colourful flowerpots, a library garden, church gardens, how to plant up your grave plot, woven baskets, leis and ti vae vae patterns and other gardeny stuff. I would have a prize for the most floral frock and everyone would dress up for this garden party and there will be special garden band rotunda. I wouldn't charge people to come see, donations to charity would be voluntary and all the ladies would go out with a flower in their hair and the men carnations in their buttonholes.
If I was doing a flower display I would have an aisle of A-Z flowers so everyone can get their flower ID correct from alyssum to zinnia. And then I would have a rainbow flower bed as mentioned in a previous post so everyone can know that roses are red and violets are violet.
