Newsletter November 2008
International exhibition garden key feature for Ellerslie Show
A multi-award winning exhibition garden by talented young Singaporean designer Peter Cheok will be one of the key feature gardens at next year’s Ellerslie International Flower Show in Christchurch.
Christchurch is privileged to have Peter coming to New Zealand to recreate for Ellerslie his magnificent Best in Show and Gold award-winning 2008 Singapore Garden Festival exhibit – Seeking Shangri-La. Described as a fantasy garden, it promises to be a real showstopper as it is both theatrical and horticulturally challenging.
Peter’s exhibition gardens also convey a very serious environmental message. Seeking Shangri-La is the second in a series of three gardens the 28-year-old plans to design to highlight today’s environmental concerns. His first garden in the trilogy also won a Gold and Best in Show at the 2006 Singapore Garden Festival.
Seeking Shangri-La illustrates the dramatic impact global warming could have on our environment and how nature will need to adapt to climate change. This will be the first time Peter has exhibited in New Zealand and internationally.
Throughout November I have also been fortunate to get a sneak preview at a number of the exhibition garden designs for next year’s Show and I have been very impressed with both the innovation in the designs – everything from natives and environmentally sustainable designs to contemporary, minimalist gardens and loads of flowers and colour – and the real breadth of talent exhibiting at the Show.
Multi Gold award-winning Ellerslie veterans Auckland designer Trina Tully and Wellington designer Ben Hoyle are among the stellar list of designers. From throughout the South Island the Show will feature gardens by the city’s own award-winning Botanic Gardens team, talented Blenheim designer Suzie LeCren, a collaborative garden by leading New Zealand architect Sir Miles Warren, Ashburton nurseryman Alan Trott, joint Ohinetahi designer Pauline Trengrove and Ohinetahi head gardener Marilyn McRae, Darryn Odering and the team at Oderings Nurseries and brothers Hamish and Tim Prebble from Texture Plants – to name just a few.
Visitors to Ellerslie in 2009 are guaranteed to be wowed by the extremely diverse and inspiring selection of gardens which will be on display.
Ticket sales topped 19,000 this month with strong sales expected throughout the next month as many people buy tickets to Ellerslie as Christmas gifts. What better than an Ellerslie Gift Card which includes options for tickets to the Premier Garden Party on opening night; treating family, friends or staff to one of the city’s most glamorous evenings of 2009. Meandering among the exhibition gardens, enjoying canapés and champagne, they will be among the first to see Christchurch’s first Ellerslie International Flower Show and the award-winning gardens. There are a variety of other packages on offer, details of which are on the website – www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz
Regards
BOB PARKER
MAYOR OF CHRISTCHURCH
