Nelmac Garden Marlborough hits the right note with the 2013 programme
In its twentieth consecutive year, Nelmac Garden Marlborough is proving itself deserving of the title ‘New Zealand’s
premier gardening event’, with record ticket sales in the first fortnight and a demand so strong for the official event
programme that, for the first time in the event’s history, the committee have this week taken the unusual step of
ordering a reprint!
Over 4,000 enthusiasts received the programme hot off the press in July and were quick to book their places on the full
and half day garden tours and workshops when tickets went on sale on 1st August. Since then, a further 3,000 programmes
have been distributed or requested in person, exhausting the initial print run and forcing an additional reprint to
satisfy demand, a first for the iconic Marlborough event.
“We’re delighted with the response the 2013 event programme is eliciting from members of the public, media and the
gardening fraternity as a whole” says Nelmac Garden Marlborough President Jeremy Jones. “When the committee first
convened at the end of 2012 and started bouncing ideas around, we could only hope that the programme we were putting
together would hit the right note with loyal supporters whilst also attracting newcomers to the event. The enthusiastic
feedback we’re receiving, as well as great tickets sales proves the programme is just the right mix of garden tours,
educational workshops and social events. It’s very exciting!”
In fact, the Queen Charlotte Sound Tour has proved so popular that the initial two tours sold out in just a fortnight,
allowing the committee to organise a third tour to run on the Saturday of Nelmac Garden Marlborough week. But with seats
limited to just 40 people, you will have to be in quick to secure your place.
Jeremy added “Visitors from as far away as the United States and the United Kingdom are coming to the province for the
event, and we can see from ticket sales that they are booking to do something every day of their stay. If people are
making the effort to travel to Marlborough for the event, they’re determined to make the most of their time here by
packing their itinerary, something we were aware of when planning the timetable. One woman we spoke to last week was
keen that her group fit in a half day garden tour in the morning, be back in time to attend a workshops in the afternoon
and then after a quick pit-stop back at their accommodation to “freshen up”, join us at Lake Timara Lodge for the Garden
Party!”
Nelmac Garden Marlborough has been described as New Zealand’s premier garden festival. A spring time celebration of
Marlborough's stunning landscape, it showcases the very best the region has to offer with a series of garden tours,
garden themed workshops and social events. This year’s event runs from 7-10 November. For a full programme of events and
to book tickets visit www.gardenmarlborough.co.nz
ENDS