Newsletter January 2010

Horticultural exhibitors on site within the month to begin building exhibits

In just a month the designers of the horticultural exhibits at the 2010 Ellerslie International Flower Show will be on site at North Hagley Park beginning to build their exhibits for this year’s Show. With more almost 100 horticultural exhibits, including 30 gardens, the site will be a hive of activity from Monday 15 February, the designers having three weeks to complete their exhibits in time for judging from noon on Monday 8 March.

The calibre of design talent and ideas at Ellerslie this year is outstanding. Visitors will find everything from environmentally sustainable designs to contemporary, minimalist gardens and loads of flowers and colour. Multi award-winning Chelsea Flower Show designer Chris Beardshaw leads the stellar list of 2010 designers, which also includes Ellerslie veterans young Auckland designers Matt McIsaac and Mat Ransom and Tauranga’s Andrew Boyle from Incredible Edibles.

From throughout the South Island the Show will feature gardens by Christchurch’s own award-winning Botanic Gardens team, talented Christchurch-based international designer Craig Pocock, a collaborative garden by All Black halfback Andy Ellis and his mate Danny Kamo, and the return of Gold award-winning Christchurch designers Dan Rutherford and Carl Pickens– to name just a few.  Ellerslie 2010 has an incredibly diverse selection of gardens - no-one can afford to miss this Show – this is where you get a first sneak preview of garden trends for 2011.

We are honoured to have the owner of the nursery which has won a record-breaking 64 consecutive gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show as the Convenor of Judges at this year’s Show. Robert Hillier, Chairman of Britain’s Hillier Nurseries Ltd heads the line-up of five international judges at Ellerslie 2010 – the largest international contingent in the Show’s 15-year history. Robert operates one of Britain’s largest horticultural businesses, which has an annual turnover of £27 million and employs more than 450 staff.
For the last decade, he has been a Royal Horticultural Society Judge and Chairman of the Society’s Show Committee.  Robert will be joined by four other international judges – Japan’s Koji Ninomiya and Australians Jim Fogarty, Brian Rudkin and Marc Worner – and

a panel of New Zealand’s best landscape and garden designers, educators and industry commentators.

Entries have been rolling in for The Great Ellerslie Photo Competition, New Zealanders having been busy throughout the festive season capturing their favourite floral images.  Focus on Flowers is the theme for this year’s competition, budding photographers being asked to “think outside the square” with their images, using flowers as the embryo to show some real flair and imagination in their images. Entries close on Friday 12 February. Check out the competition details on the website http://ellerslieflowershow.co.nz/competitions.html

With there now only seven weeks until the gates open for Ellerslie, get your tickets now for the Premier Garden Party – tickets are limited. This is Christchurch’s first social event of 2010 and a fundraiser for the Cancer Society. For $125 a ticket, you get to walk the red carpet, wander among the gardens, chat to the designers, sip bubbles and nibble on canapés while enjoying live music and waiting for the judges to announce the award-winning gardens. Tickets are available from http://www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz/buy-tickets.html

Regards

BOB PARKER
MAYOR OF CHRISTCHURCH