Gardens of Significance abound - Taranaki Garden Spectacular

2 May 2013

Gardens of Significance abound in 2013 Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular

Of the 47 premium Taranaki gardens in this year’s Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular, a quarter have been independently assessed as Gardens of Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust.

The 10-day festival running from November 1st to the 10th, has 12 gardens of significance including one garden of “International Significance”, six gardens of “National Significance” and five “Gardens of Significance”.

Now in its 26th year, and one of the country’s longest running garden festivals, the Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular continues to focus on offering visitors a diverse, inspiring and quality garden experience, says Festival manager, Lisa Ekdahl.

“Approximately 6,000 visitors paid more than 53,000 gardens visits in last year’s event and surveys revealed we achieved a 99% good to excellent visitor experience rating,” says Ms. Ekdahl.

“More than 60% of our visitors are from outside the Taranaki region so the quality of our gardens as well as the high calibre of our line-up of guest speakers and events is critical to delivering a premium festival experience for our visitors.”

Survey results come from an online survey run by the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust who organise the Festival. These results are then independently assessed by Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL).

A snapshot of the BERL results show that the more than 3,600 visits from outside the region helped generate a $3.4 million spend in the Taranaki region; and 40% of visitors were attending the Festival for the first time.

While details of the gardens in this year’s event, as well the guest speakers and events will be launched on July 4, Ms. Ekdahl says there are four new gardens in this year’s Festival.

“It takes a huge amount of effort to develop and prepare a garden to the standard we require in the Festival,” explains Ms. Ekdahl. “So we’re really thrilled to open the garden gates to four new stunning gardens for our visitors.”

Four of the gardens in the Festival are public gardens and are free to enter. The remainder are private gardens with an incredible range of diversity from coastal sub-tropical gardens to sub-alpine gardens.

Located right around the Taranaki region, they also range in style from large, country-style rambling gardens, to gardens with a focus on native flora, to intimate inner-city gardens to traditional Japanese-style gardens.

While some gardens have been more than half-a century in the making, and some have been developed just in the last decade, all flourish in Taranaki’s rich volcanic soil and abundant measures of sun and rain, says Ms. Ekdahl.

“Each garden reflects the personality of its owner – and half the enjoyment for visitors is meeting the owners and sharing in their passion,” Ms. Ekdahl comments.

Until more details of the festival are announced on July 4, below is the line-up of Gardens of Significance in this year’s Festival:

Gardens of International Significance
Te Kainga Marire
Gardens of National Significance
Tupare
Hollards Garden
Pukeiti
Pukekura Park
Puketerata
Oakley Garden
Gardens of Significance
Lockinge
Mary’s Place
Nikau Grove
Openlands
Merleswood

BERL results’ snapshot

For more information, visit www.gardenfestnz.co.nz

ENDS

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