14 July 2015
Temuka local enjoys overdue honeymoon thanks to lucky garden hose
Rhiannon (left) and Jonathon Fitzgerald (third from left), during their VIP tour of Charlie Albone’s garden.
Jonathon Fitzgerald never quite got around to taking his wife on a honeymoon. But nine years after his marriage to wife
Rhiannon, the Temuka man finally got the chance, after winning a trip to London from premium gardening brand GARDENA.
Jonathon was the lucky winner of the ‘Visit Charlie at Chelsea’ competition and won a trip for two to London to see
Australian garden guru Charlie Albone at the 2015 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
The father of two entered the competition after spending about $120 on GARDENA products - including a garden hose - at
Eddy’s Hammer Hardware on King Street in Temuka.
He says he’s not one for entering competitions and has never won anything before.
“I was blown away. I had actually forgotten I’d entered it and was so surprised when Gardena called to say I’d won. I’ve
only been to Hawaii and Aussie,” says Jonathon.
Jonathon started his own business - Fitzgerald Steel - six months ago, is building a new family home and has two young
boys aged six and eight who are involved in competitive motocross, so big overseas holidays have not been a priority for
him and Rhiannon, who’s a midwife in the South Canterbury region.
Jonathon, 33, said the couple really enjoyed the VIP tour of Charlie’s garden. Sponsored by GARDENA and parent company
Husqvarna, Charlie Albone’s garden ‘The Time in Between’ was a tribute to his late father and won the talented ‘Selling
Houses Australia’ designer a Silver Gilt award at the show.
“It was great to chat with Charlie about his garden and we were so stoked for him when he won the award”, says Jonathon.
Having arranged Grandma to look after their boys, Jonathan and Rhiannon took the opportunity to extend their surprise
trip, adding on two nights in Singapore, three nights in Rome and two nights in Paris. As well as the Chelsea Flower
Show, a highlight of their trip was taking a bike tour around the city of Paris.
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