Ellerslie International Flower Show 2012, Christchurch, New Zealand

[Doreen Mear]

A year ago, New Zealand’s premier floral event, the annual Ellerslie International Flower Show in Christchurch was cancelled at the last minute due to the earthquake, but at least the floral marquees came into their own in providing temporary accommodation for the rescue services, volunteers and a few stranded people! The 2012 Show was staged last week in Christchurch’s Hagley Park, and this time all went without a hitch. The New Zealand Alpine Garden Society was delighted to be awarded a Silver Distinction for its display on the theme of where our garden plants originated, and the superhuman efforts of past and present planthunters to bring home the “bacon” to their commercial sponsors, botanic gardens and wealthy patrons.

The display showed a (very basic!) tent complete with (very posh!) primus stove, various old hand tools and wooden plant labels, and the piece de resistance, a Wardian case especially commissioned for the exhibit. A case like this would have been used to transport plants back home, and was certainly a talking point amongst our visitors.

Autumn is not the easiest time of year for staging alpine plants, especially after a very hot dry summer, but the stand was colourful with a ribbon of Primula capitata flowering out of season along the “riverbank”, autumn crocuses, cyclamen, rhodohypoxis and gentians. Podophyllum, Amorphophallus, Eucomis, Arisaema and a wide selection of ferns, succulents and native plants provided architecture and texture. This earned the Society a Highly Commended award in the Supreme Horticulture category.

A huge effort by the team, some of whom are already rarin’ to go for next year!     

[Maggi Young]

What a super display!  I think that is fantastic for such a tricky time of year.....judges a bit stingy, perhaps?!!
Well done and many congratulations to the team for the staging.

Having the flower show go ahead so well must be a boost to morale generally in the area, I would hope, after so many tough times.   

[Doreen Mear]

Thanks, Maggi. Yes, perhaps the judges' expectations increase year by year, so it's quite a challenge.

This year obviously there were quite a few exhibits on the theme of regeneration and renewal, making use of our plentiful local supply of recycled materials - even the liquefaction sand in one instance! I was glad to see more emphasis on plants and sympathetic plantings this time rather than hard landscaping; concrete, glass and coloured baubles don't do it for me!

I was very taken with the various sculptures which are a feature of the show, from metal daisy chains, giant bees and insects hanging from the trees, to a taniwha (the kiwi equivalent of Nessie) rusting gently in a bog full of beautiful blue metal irises. Sad to say, I had to forego buying the $350,000 gleaming lifesize Clydesdale horse for my garden as it wouldn't fit in the boot of my car ...   

[Doreen Mear]

More pics from around the show this time, including bees, taniwhas and daisy chains. Of the outdoor exhibits, if you're into pink, then the giant waterlily was quite sumptuous. The Engineer's Garden was based on what a South Island hydroelectric engineer might salvage, including a shelter made from penstock pipe, and duck-egg blue water to mimic the unreal colour of our lakes from suspended "glacial flour". The penguin seems to be quite enjoying the onset of global warming, complete with sunnies and a glass of something cold to hand. And of course, the heart of Christchurch, never far from our minds. Altogether, a great day out, for everyone, not just garden fanatics!

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks for these pictures Doreen. My work schedule prevented me going up to see the Show as it always has done, either in Chch or in Auckland.

I really love the irises. They have an almost oncocyclus look to them.

[Doreen Mear]

Shame you didn't get to the show, Lesley; when you're getting weary with weeding and cutting back and lawnmowing, it's good to get to an event like this and get your enthusiasm back. You'd have enjoyed grazing the free samples in the Countdown food tent (we didn't need any lunch!) Had to dash back to Wanaka though for the highlight of the village year, the A&P (=Agricultural and Pastoral) Show, and the "Glammies". No, not a high fashion catwalk or karaoke contest, but the Golden Lamb Meat Awards!

[Maggi Young]

Doreen.... I greatly appreciate the photos you've shown us.... but I MUST ask... have you not got one of the $35,000 Clydesdale statue?

[Susan]

I greatly appreciate the photos you've shown us.... but I MUST ask... have you not got one of the $35,000 Clydesdale statue?

Did you not miss out a nought there Maggi?  Anyway stainless steel Clydesdales are just so last century don't you think?  

Susan

[Maggi Young]

Well, being a Scot I was hoping for a bargain, Susan!

Clydesdales are still around  here, thank goodness, but the Scottish steel industry is indeed very last century... extinct, in fact.

I'd be happy to have a stainless steel camel , but a  Clydesdale would be  terrific.

[Susan]

Ok - now when was your birthday?

[Maggi Young]

Ok - now when was your birthday?

  In the summer, Susan... if the horse starts walking now.............

[Lesley Cox]

Glammies? I'd have a bet Cardrona Merino did well there. Rob Ottrey is one of my vendors. I bought a lamb rack for my birthday. Purest heaven. Of course it was cooked to perfection.

[Doreen Mear]

Maggi, just for you, a pic of said Clydesdale, courtesy of Ann Cartman and a sunny day as I didn't photograph him in the rain and gloom. And yes, Susan, Maggi did miss a nought, but maybe if you did the bartering, with your "sooooo last century" spiel, you might get him for a knock-down price? Personally, I think you need a pair so he doesn't feel lonely ...

Cardrona merino lamb rack, Lesley, you must be a millionaire, must cost nearly as much per kilo as stainless steel Clydesdale! 

[Maggi Young]

Oh, my word, isn't he grand? Even better than I imagined.  I love him... thanks so much to Ann for such a sunny, shiny photo.
Yes, I think a pair would be even better. 
We must be ableto get a discount for two, don't you think?   

[Lesley Cox]

The horse is MAGNIFICENT!!! How on earth did he arrive on site. Must have taken some serious transport.

The lamb rack was a birthday treat Doreen, not my usual fare, but Rob looks after me anyway.