Chelsea Champions To Recreate Gold Medal Garden

27 September 2004

Chelsea Champions To Recreate Gold Medal Garden At Ellerslie

They stole the show in London ­ and now they're preparing for an encore at Ellerslie.

The Ellerslie Flower Show is delighted to announce that the designers behind New Zealand's triumphant debut at the 2004 Chelsea Flower Show will recreate the gold medal-winning garden at the 10th Anniversary Ellerslie Flower Show in Manukau City.

'100% Pure New Zealand Ora ­ Garden of Well-Being' was the first-ever New Zealand garden to be accepted for entry to the world's most prestigious flower show in London in May.

As well as winning gold at Chelsea, the Tourism New Zealand-sponsored garden won rave reviews from the public and was selected for a special private tour by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Now visitors to the 10th Anniversary Ellerslie Flower Show, held at the Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens from November 23-28, will also be able to experience the gold medal-winning garden first-hand.

The design team ­ sculptor Lyonel Grant, film logistics expert Kim Jarrett, artist Tina Hart, Lord of the Rings greensmaster Brian Massey, construction expert Doug Waugh and landscape designer Trish Waugh ­ will officially unveil their garden at the Ellerslie Flower Show's glittering gala opening on November 23.

"New Zealand's design and horticulture industries are world-class and winning gold at Chelsea reflects the standards set at the Ellerslie Flower Show," says Ellerslie Flower Show Event Director Cath Handley.

"The decision to stage a New Zealand garden at Chelsea followed a successful collaboration between Kim Jarrett and Trish Waugh at the Ellerslie Flower Show in 2000, so we're thrilled to see the design come full circle by bringing it home again."

"Over the past 10 years, the Ellerslie Flower Show has earned a position of profound respect among the top international garden shows. Our strategy now is to lead with our distinctly Pacific style to build the overseas tourist market for this event," says Handley

'100% Pure New Zealand Ora ­ Garden of Well-Being' took more than three years of planning. Tourism New Zealand's sponsorship funding enabled the garden to be built at Chelsea.

"The Chelsea Flower Show was a fantastic tool for us to get New Zealand out in front of potential visitors to New Zealand," says George Hickton, Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand.

"We know that those who attended the show were the type of people who would enjoy the experiences that New Zealand has to offer. It was an ideal opportunity to get New Zealand's lifestyle and culture out there in front of them."

"We are delighted that the New Zealand public will get a chance to see why it did so well."

Speaking on behalf of the design team, Brian Massey says they are all excited by the opportunity to recreate the garden at the 10th Anniversary Ellerslie Flower Show.

"Although the garden had a huge impact on Londoners, it also had a big impact on expatriate Kiwis visiting the Chelsea Flower Show and we're looking forward to sharing the garden with thousands more Kiwis at Ellerslie," says Massey.

Tickets to the 10th Anniversary Ellerslie Flower Show at the Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens from November 23-28 are on sale now at Ticketek. Phone: (09) 307 5000 or visit www.ticketek.co.nz

ENDS

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