People's Choice Award — Ellerslie Flower Show
1 April 2009
The top award at this year’s Ellerslie International Flower Show went to a team of locals with a passion for plants and garden design.
Visitors to the Ellerslie International Flower Show chose Texture Plants’ Off the Wall garden as their favourite, granting it the prestigious People’s Choice award.
The garden is a secluded area in which to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is a combination of seamless structures, modern furniture and a Mahootus hot tub set among a green oasis of botanically interesting plants.
Designed by Hamish and Tim Prebble of Texture Plants (Christchurch), in conjunction with Outerspace Landscapes, the garden features bold contrasts of plant forms and structures to provide a unique texture-style garden with year-round interest.
The garden took six months of planning and more than 1000 man hours to complete, but according to Hamish “it has been so worth it”.
“It is the people who are our customers; we are rapt to win this award,” he said. Off the Wall also won a bronze medal for design and a gold National Lighting Award.
This year marked the first Ellerslie International Flower Show in Christchurch and, according to Show Managing Director Dave Mee, it was a phenomenal success “absolutely outdoing Auckland”.
“It is unprecedented, from the record-breaking opening day on Wednesday to more than 75,000 visitors who enjoyed this year’s five-day show in North Hagley Park.”
Traditionally held in Auckland, this year saw New Zealand’s premier garden event move to Christchurch following the sale of the annual show to Christchurch City Council.
According to Dave, the quality of the exhibitions was outstanding, which is always the measure of success for the show.
“The four gold award-winning gardens is the largest number at Ellerslie in at least the past five years and were much-praised by the international panel of judges,” he said.
“Christchurch has really embraced and taken ownership of Ellerslie, which is fantastic. This has been the best show in many years and may be the best in the 15-year history of the Ellerslie International Flower Show,” Dave added.
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