24 October 2006

Garden Show success in spite of weather

The weather couldn’t keep serious gardeners away from the Kapiti Garden Show at Labour Weekend.

The green carpet treatment enjoyed by 3000 enthusiasts on Saturday, soon turned to mud on the Sunday, as a crowd of hard core Kapiti Coasters came prepared for the elements in wet weather gear.

Sun Smart umbrellas were handed out at the gate as Rain Smart hospitality.

Undeterred gardeners and vendors alike wore smiles, despite the dampener.

“We’re used to this weather,” nursery vendor, Gus Evans said.

With stocks sold out and sales exceeding those for the entire weekend of last year’s inaugural garden show, Gus said, “I’ll be back.”

Many vendors were overwhelmed by sales and the volume of orders taken. Public interest was high, not only in the range of coastal plants available, but in the water conservation displays in the Council and Community marquee, and the Local Know How forum programme of guest speakers staged under cover in the Kapiti Primary School Hall.

“The attendance in spite of the weather was just awesome,” show organiser, Ben Thompson said. “We had more people in on the Saturday than we had for the entire show last year. And this year, even on the Sunday with the rain, people just kept pouring in. It’s been a great success.”

His views were echoed by Jan Forrest of Coastlands, the joint sponsors of the show with the Kapiti Coast District Council. “The weather didn’t seem to deter people from coming out to the show,” she said. “There’s obviously a high level of interest in this kind of garden show and our attendance figures were well up on the previous year.”

The outstanding Lifestyle garden display Award was won by a joint design from Stuart Avery of Evolution Paving Landscaping Ltd and Alison Wayly of Oasis Designs. They were using the show as a practice run for the Ellerslie Garden Show.

They aren’t the only ones going to Ellerslie in November, however, the winner of the Kapiti Garden Show competition’s trip for two to the Ellerslie Garden Show will be announced later this week.

The call to close the gates early at 2.00pm on the Sunday was made to prevent further damage to the Kapiti Primary School grounds where the event was staged. The Council will repair the grounds over the next week. “In a fortnight you won’t even know we’ve been here,” Ben Thompson said.

ENDS

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