5 August 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[MEDIA RELEASE] Nelmac Garden Marlborough – 2014 programme invites you to ‘Taste the Good Life’ in Marlborough.
New Zealand’s premier gardening event, Nelmac Garden Marlborough, has released the full event programme for 2014, with
an exciting schedule of new gardens, tours and workshops alongside the traditional iconic events that prove so popular
with the public year after year.
President Jeremy Jones explains the message for this year’s theme ‘Taste the Good Life’, “We wanted to encapsulate what
it is about Nelmac Garden Marlborough that keeps bringing people back year after year, the winning formula so to speak.
In talking to ticketholders the reason is quite simple. They come here with friends and family to enjoy the very best of
what Marlborough has to offer all packaged up in one weekend– the best gardens, the best food, the best climate, the
best wine… it really is a taste of the good life!”
A total of seven new gardens will be opening their garden gates to the public for the first time, and will be clearly
marked within the pages of the event programme and on the event website by a garden fork and trowel symbol. The two new
garden tours on offer this year - ‘Along Spring Creek’ and ‘Across the Plains’ will include a mix of familiar gardens
and new properties who have joined the event for the first time this year.
This year’s workshop programme will be led by renowned Australian landscape designer and botanist Michael McCoy. Michael
will be hosting two seminars, ‘Digging Deeper’ and ‘A Question of Balance’ in particular sharing his expertise in dry
gardening.
Horticultural specialist and self-confessed plantaholic Lynda Hallinan and John Penny of Thirkettle Nurseries
(presenting ‘Fruit production for health and pleasure’) will join professional chef Bevan Smith of Riverstone Kitchen
fame, Auckland-based food writer Julie Biuso and others to round off a workshop programme to delight novices and green
thumbed experts alike.
The renowned Garden Party at Lake Timara Lodge, where guests can mingle with like-minded gardeners, friends and guest
presenters, will be held on the Saturday night and the festival will culminate with its biggest event, the Stihl Shop
Garden Fête, on Sunday 9 November.
The programme will be mailed to 4,000 ‘Friends of Garden Marlborough’ as well as being distributed the length and
breadth of New Zealand, in nurseries, garden centres and businesses. Tickets on sale now.
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. 3,000 tickets were sold in 2013. This year’s event runs from 6-9 November.
For more information visit www.gardenmarlborough.co.nz