Three exhibition gardens win Gold at Ellerslie
EMBARGOED TO 2.30PM ON TUESDAY 9 MARCH 2010
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Three exhibition gardens have won gold at this year’s Ellerslie International Flower Show.
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Ellerslie’s two 2010 international gardens by multi Gold award-winning Chelsea Flower Show designer Chris Beardshaw
(pictured top) and award-winning Japanese designer Koji Ninomiya (middle) have both been awarded Gold, and joining this
year’s two international designers as Gold medal winners is the design duo of All Black halfback Andy Ellis and his mate
Danny Kamo from John Marsh Landscape Architects (bottom).
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The Convenor of Judges Robert Hillier from England said the 2010 Ellerslie Show was “brilliant”.
“The overall standard is very high making it a tough competition for the medals.”
Mr Hillier said there was an extreme diversity of gardens, making it interesting but also difficult for the judges.
He praised Andy Ellis and Danny Kamo for The Last Laugh, a serious statement about the impact humans are having on the environment and the planet’s natural resources. “The
concept and delivery of this garden is amazing,” he said.
“Koji’s western Japanese garden is the best garden I have seen him design – it is simply great. And third Gold medal
winner, Chris Beardshaw’s An Englishman’s Retreat is perfection in terms of detail and finish,” he says.
“To win gold you need attention to detail and finish, innovative ideas – well delivered, and that is exactly what these
Gold medal winners have done.”
Mr Hiller said the “quality and standard of exhibition gardens at Ellerslie would be well received at Chelsea”.
Jim Fogarty from Australia, who has judged at Ellerslie for the last eight years, said the standard of gardens had
definitely improved this year as was evident in every exhibition garden getting an award. “The standard is very high.”
He said having multi award-winning Chelsea Flower Show designer Chris Beardshaw at the Show had set a strong
international benchmark for any award winner and it was a “big step up for Ellerslie”.
“Chris’s garden is fantastic. It has heaps of plants and is beautifully executed; Chris is a true plantsman and the
quality of his plants from Trents is outstanding.”
Mr Fogarty says with Koji’s Japanese garden, “the closer you get the more drawn in you get – the mountains, the rivers,
the valleys and the ocean – it is an amazing garden.”
Starlight exhibit steals the Show
Meanwhile, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens has “stolen the Show” with its “extraordinary” exhibit in the Starlight
Marquee which has won Gold.
Lead Judge Penny Cliffin said the garden had “extraordinary lighting and sound effects and an interesting commentary on
decomposition as a basis of life under the ground”.
“The garden also has an extraordinary selection of fungi; it is truly amazing.”
Mr Hillier says he was “bowled over by the exhibit”.
“The Starlight Marquee is unique to Ellerslie and is such a fantastic use of space.
“The Botanic Gardens exhibit is outstanding. They have kept the garden very focussed and not over complicated it – the
public will be blown away by it.”
Awards:
Exhibition Gardens
Gold An Englishman’s Retreat – Chris Beardshaw
Sei Sei Tei II - Koji Ninomiya
The Last Laugh – Andy Ellis and Danny Kamo
Silver Distinction Incredible Edibles – Sandi MacRae
Sustainability with Style - Soil and Health Canterbury and The Good Gardeners’ Association Christchurch
Peace by Piece – Carl Pickens
Silver Finding Solace in the Sky – Cameron Cameron McLean, Desmond Stock and Gareth Ford
Four Play – Emily Kelly, Joshua Hunt, Myles Rabbidge and Megan Inder
Bronze My Little Corner of the World - Mat Ransom and Matt McIsaac
Jungle Fever – Scotty Fletcher, Zisk Design
Tohunga’s Garden – Malcolm McBride, Letz Go Native
Te Waipounamu Garden – Nik Kneale, Huia Reriti and Nathan Pohio
Merit 0800 Pool Hire – Craig Pocock Design
Ellegance – Mark Hutching, Allwood Trees
Retail Garden
Bronze Play Matters – Christchurch City Council
Merit Kinetics of Stone – Timothy Mark
Starlight Marquee
GoldChristchurch Botanic Gardens
Bronze Bush Telly
An Icy Oasis – Dan Rutherford
Hort Galore Marquee
Gold Stratford Garden Club
NZ Alpine Garden Society
Silver Christchurch Bird Club
Cashmere Garden Club
Bronze Christchurch Beautifying Society
Fendalton and Mount Pleasant Garden Club
Forest and Bird
Merit Christchurch Chrysanthemum Circle
Avonhead Garden Club
Floral Art Marquee
Gold Ikebana International Ikenobo School
Avon Floral Art
Jenny Harris
Silver Distinction Ikebana International Ichiyo School
Ikebana International Sogetsu School
North Otago Floral Art Group
Heather Sibley
Erin Brown
Silver Gislinde Folkerts
Blooming Fabulous
Jan Nuttall
Bronze Patricia Proctor Design
Joy Flora Florist for Christchurch Garden Trust
Timaru Floral Art Group
Carousel Floral
MK Design Ltd
Marion Mercer
Annette Waller
Merit Floral Art North Canterbury
•Ellerslie International Flower Show is New Zealand’s premier week-long Garden Party in Christchurch’s North Hagley Park
from 10 to 14 March 2010. The Show celebrates Christchurch’s Garden City heritage and the best of national and
international garden design. Check out the website for further information www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz
ENDS