GARDEN OF SIGNIFICANCE

More than 30 years ago Lockinge garden in South Taranaki was little more than a small flower bed, a vegetable garden and an apple orchard – now it is a Garden of Significance in the Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular running from October 26 to November 4 this year.

Owner Phyllis Malcolm is also a floral artist – so the one-acre country garden is bursting with a couple of hundred different varieties of flowering plants that are the source for her arrangements.

Described by Phyllis as a woodland garden for its large deciduous trees such as golden elms, Lockinge is planted around two small lakes that are home to an elegant pair of black swans, and more than a few ducks.
Visitors enter through a pergola covered in a scented clemantis, and then follow meandering paths lined with flowering plants such as hostas, primulas, ajugas – and of course Rhododendrons.

Rustic farming relics such as an old dray can be found nestled in garden beds and dove cotes provide a home to white doves that flit through the trees. The bucolic scene is enhanced by a rough sawn timber bridge spanning one of the lakes.

Lockinge is one of 11 Gardens of Significance as rated by the New Zealand Gardens Trust in the 51-garden line up in this year’s Festival.

Ranging from the sub-tropical to the sub-alpine, and from the ornamental to the oriental, the gardens are spread right around Taranaki with the greatest garden of them all at this heart, Mt Taranaki and the Egmont National Park.
The Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular will also feature a range of guest speakers and events for visitors to enjoy in between visiting gardens, says festival manager, Lisa Ekdahl.

“Now in our 25th year, we’ve made sure that virtually every day of the festival there will be a choice of garden-related events,” explains Lisa.

“Garden lovers can enjoy guided walks, tours, demonstrations, seminars or workshops with guest speakers such as media personalities Lynda Hallinan and Tony Murrell. There’s also a stunning Spring Fashion in the Garden show to Frocks on Bikes!”

And this year’s unique Landscape Design Project supported with funding from the TSB Community Trust, will be “The Peranakan Lights”. Also supporting this project is power generation company Agrekko.

A fascinating artistic fusion from South-East Asia, the Lights are inflated, illuminated shapes screen printed with designs of traditional Peranakan art - renowned for its rich and opulent designs in ceramics, embroidery, screen-printing and architecture.

Some 50 lights will be installed in New Plymouth’s Pukekura Park in the area known as the Brooklands Lawn enabling anyone to come and enjoy what will be an impressive first for New Zealand.

For more information, visit www.gardenfestnz.co.nz or enquiries@gardenfestnz.co.nz or call 00 64 06 759 8412.